University  of  California  •  Berkeley 

THE  PETER  AND  ROSELL  HARVEY 
MEMORIAL  FUND 


Forty  Years  Among 

THE 

Indians 


A  Descriptive  History  of  the  Long  and  Busy 

Life  of 
JEREMIAH  HUBBARD 


PRINTED   AND   BOUND   BY 
THE    PHELPS    PRINTERS 

MIAMI,   OKLAHOMA 

1913 


JEREMIAH  HUBBARD 


MARY  G. 


I)U.   ('.   W.  KlHK.   SUPKRINTKNDENT    WYANOOTTK    MISSION 


Preface 

During  the  sweep  of  years  the  names  of  men,  illus 
trious  because  of  their  exploits  as  statesmen,  soldiers, 
scientists  or  leaders  in  reforms  or  religion  have  appeared 
on  the  pages  of  history  while  others,  equally  worthy  and 
effective  in  the  movements  and  uplift  of  nations,  have 
remained  unknown  and  some  have  died  "unwepped  and 
unsung," 

Were  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch  a  veteran  soldier 
of  some  great  national  army  with  scars  of  wounds  on  his 
person  received  on  battle  fields,  or  were  he  an  orator 
who  had  stood  at  the  crisis  of  some  national  upheavel 
and  calmed  the  minds  and  hearts  of  men  that  were  as  a 
disturbed  sea,  historians  would  eagerly  seek  the  facts  of 
his  life,  while  his  biography  would  be  gladly  received  by 
editors  of  daily  papers  and  magazines  for  immediate 
publication.  The  man  whose  life  we  honor,  and  work 
we  commemorate,  sought  no  upper  seat,  desired  no 
place  of  prominence.  Thirty-four  years  have  passed 
since  he  chose  the,  then  far  off  West,  where  he  might 
spend  his  days  among  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  South 
west,  and  in  an  humble  way  give  his  life  in  uplifting 
these  natives  of  America  into  the  lofty  relm  of  Christian 
manhood  and  womanhood. 

His  name,  therefore,  has  not  been  emblazoned  on  the 
sky  of  the  world's  popularity.  The  battles  he  has  fought 
have  been  far  from  the  view  of  civilized  man,  while  the 
implements  of  his  warfare  have  not  been  carnal 
but  spiritual.  On  the  roll  of  the  veterans  of  the 


6  PREFACE 

Cross  the  name  of  Jerry  Hubbard  stands  far  up  toward 
the  head.  He  is  of  Indian  extraction  and  a  native  of 
Indiana.  On  the  7th  day  of  April,  1837,  he  first  saw 
the  lig-ht  near  the  town  of  Lewisville,  Indiana.  The  early 
morning  of  life  was  spent  in  his  native  state,  some  years 
of  which  time  was  spent  as  a  school  teacher,  whereby 
he  was  providentially  being  fitted  for  the  long  years  of 
toil  awaiting  him.  While  thus  engaged  he  was  brought 
into  the  sweet  experience  of  salvation.  He  did  not  im 
mediately  connect  himself  with  some  church.  Knowing 
he  was  possessor  of  divine  life  he  could  wait  and  delib 
erately  make  choice  of  the  church  with  which  he  should 
cast  his  lot.  Christian  doctrines  held  by  the  various 
churches  were  examined.  Their  polity  was  also  looked 
into.  One  year  of  prayer  and  study  and  the  matter  was 
decided  The  Friends  church,  on  the  day  young  Jerry 
Hubbard  was  received  into  its  fellowship,  accepted  a 
man  who  was  to  become  a  great  factor  in  its  future 
growth, 

WORK  BEGUN: 

The  young  preacher  having  been  heartily  received 
by  the  Quakers  soon  ingratiated  himself  into  their  good 
graces  and  began  his  work  enthusiastically.  He  was  in 
1871  made  a  preacher  among  them.  After  the  lapse  of 
a  few  months  he  discovered  there  was  virgin  soil  and  on 
certain  lines  the  church  should  be  developed.  In  due 
time  he  modestlv  suggested  in  his  words  "setting  forth 
the  altar  of  prayer."  Previous  to  this  there  had  been  no 
method  among  this  people  of  assisting  persons  seeking 
peace  with  God.  This,  while  regarded  as  an  innovation, 
proved  a  means  of  grace  and  a  great  help  to  penitents. 


PREFACE  7 

This,  which  became  a  feature  of  the  church  work,  was  in 
after  years  especially  helpful  in  the  southwest.  Men  were 
approachable  at  an  altar  of  prayer  who  possibly  might 
never  be  reached  otherwise. 

There  was  a  custom  also  among  the  Quakers  that  had 
obtained  for  many  years  which  Rev.  Jerry  Hubbard  con 
ceived  to  be  in  the  way  of  greater  development  of  the 
church.  He  said  the  idea  of  assembling  and  sitting  for  an 
indefinite  time  for  the  Spirit  to  move  them  before  holding 
service  was  impractical  and  the  better  way  was  to  honor 
God  by  an  effort  to  worship.  This  being  a  revolution 
in  their  mode  of  worship  was  met  with  no  little  opposi 
tion.  He  was  determined  and  persistent.  He  was  familiar 
with  the  life  and  doctrines  of  George  Fox,  founder  of  the 
Quaker  Friends  church,  and  versed  in  the  Bible  and  look 
ing  deeply  into  their  custom  of  having  silent  meetings, 
he  was  therefore  fully  persuaded  the  same  was  a  mistake. 
He  held  before  his  people  the  example  of  Jesus  and  the 
apostles,  and  insisted  that  in  all  public  meetings  the  ex 
ample  of  these  should  be  followed,  and  if  they  were  to 
lead  the  world  there  must  be  oral  teachings.  As  at  Ko- 
komo,  Indiana,  he  was  successful  in  setting  the  altar 
before  the  church,  he  was  equally  victorious  in  this,  and 
the  church  from  that  time  has  worshipped  after  the 
fashion  of  his  idea.  These  instances  serve  to  indicate 
the  strength  of  the  man  among  his  people,  for  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  intellectual  giants  among  the 
Quaker  Friends  faught  to  the  finish  such  innovations. 

AMONG    THE    INDIANS: 

Forty  years  reach  backward  in  Indian  Territory  his 
tory  when  there  were  no  railroads,  public  highways,  but 


8  PREFACE 

few  if  any  marks  of  civilization,  and  no  white  men.  A 
pale  face  was  then  as  rare  here  as  in  the  jungles  of 
Africa  today.  True  then  a  few  desperate  fortune-seekers 
had  found  their  way  among:  the  red  men,  Such  were 
not  here  to  aid  or  encourage  a  man  whose  heart  was  set 
on  saving  men.  Was  faith  required  on  the  part  of  Liv 
ingston  that  he  might  penetrate  the  dark  continent,  so 
was  it  essential  that  Jerry  Hubbard  should  have  mighty 
faith  when  he,  the  first  missionary  to  the  Seneca  Indi 
ans,  enterprised  his  stupendous  work.  Dangers  await  all 
who  labor  for  God  and  the  uplifting  of  men.  In  the  case 
of  this  missionary  to  the  tribe  of  Seneca  Indians  this  was 
true.  They  resented  his  presence  and  refused  the  gos 
pel  he  brought,  became  bitter  and  threatened  his  life. 
As  one  in  other  years  he  counted  not  his  life  dear  unto 
himself.  Patient,  tender  work  continued,  though  a 
council  had  decided  on  his  death.  The  heart  of  one  of 
the  worst  among  the  tribe  was  smitten  by  the  Spirit  and 
he  was  converted.  A  great  work  was  then  begun.  It 
spread  among  the  Modocks,  Shawnees,  Peorias,  Miamis, 
Ottawas,  Wyandotts,  and  Quapaws,  until  ihe  power  of 
the  gospel  brought  many  of  them  to  the  Lord.— REV.  J. 
M.  WRIGHT,  Pastor  M.  E.  Church,  South-  Peace  and 
salvation  to  all  men. 


Preface  by  the  Author 

I  was  born  in  Henry  County,  Indiana,  on  the  7th  day 
of  April,  1837.  The  name  of  my  father  was  Joseph  Hub- 
bard  and  that  of  my  mother  was  Matilda  Johnson.  I 
was  raised  on  a  farm  until  I  was  16  years  old,  went  to 
school  in  an  old  log  school  house.  Then  my  parents 
went  to  Wayne  county,  Indiana,  and  settled  at  Chester, 
four  miles  from  Richmond.  Here  I  went  to  school  to 
Lewis  Estes  until  I  was  21  years  of  age.  Was  married  in 
the  fall  of  1858  to  Mary  G.  Sheward,  daughter  of  Dr. 
Isaac  and  Louisa  Sheward,  formerly  of  Wilmington,  Del 
aware.  In  the  spring  of  1859  we  moved  to  Miami  county 
Indiana,  and  commenced  life  as  a  school  teacher  and  brirk 
and  stone  mason,  which  after  many  years  was  discard 
ed  to  take  up  the  work  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of 
men. 

In  the  year  1878  I  felt  that  the  Lord  was  calling  me 
to  give  all  my  time  to  preaching  His  gospel  at  all  times 
and  wherever  He  should  be  pleased  to  send  me.  But  I 
had  a  large  family  to  support  and  was  in  debt;  I  could 
see  no  way  for  them  to  live  I  tried  for  several  years  to 
work  and  preach  and  do  all  the  good  I  could,  but  noth 
ing  I  could  do  seemed  to  prosper.  I  at  last  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  I  would  make  a  full  surrender  or  sacri 
fice,  for  the  Lord  would  not  accept  a  half  one. 
I  felt  willing  to  give  up  all  and  labor  for  the 


IO  PREFACE 

Lord  if  He  would  take  care  of  my  family  and  provide  a 
way  for  them  to  live. 

It  was  then  that  it  was  impressed  on  my  heart  to 
write  a  book,  giving  sketches  of  all  the  schools  I  had 
taught  and  of  the  various  meetings  I  had  attended  and 
held  in  different  places;  that  it  would  be  the  means  of 
helping  me  along  with  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  upon  it. 
Under  these  circumstances  I  wrote  the  following  pages. 
While  writing  the  first  part  of  this  book  I  held  meetings 
every  night  and  often  in  the  day  time,  only  missing  two 
or  three  nights  in  three  months.  These  meetings  were 
the  most  powerful  and  successful  of  any  I  ever  attended, 
showing  fully  to  my  mind  that  if  I  would  do  my  part 
the  Lord  would  do  His  of  the  great  work  of  gathering 
souls  into  His  kingdom,  for  truly  the  fields  are  white 
unto  the  harvest  but  the  laborers  are  few,  and  how 
many  stand  idle  with  their  arms  folded.  Has  not  the 
language  of  our  blessed  Master  been  sounded  into  your 
ears:  "Go  work  in  my  vineyard,  there  is  work  for  all  to 
do." 

"Go  work  in  my  vineyard,  Oh  work  while  'tis  day; 
The  bright  hours  of  sunshine  are  hastening  away, 
And  night's  gloomy  shadows  are  gathering  fast 
When  the  time  for  our  labors  will  ever  be  past. 
Begin  in  the  morning  and  toil  all  the  day; 
Thy  strength  I'll  supply  and  thy  wages  I'll  pay; 
And  blessed,  thrice  blessed,  the  diligent  few 
Who  finish  the  labor  I've  given  them  to  do." 

May  the  Lord  add  his  blessing  upon  these  pages, 
and  that  your  prayers  may  go  with  me  as  I  go  up  and 
down  in  the  land  and  may  the  Lord  remember  me  in 


PREFACE  II 

mercy,   and  "The  Teacher's  Ups   and   Downs"  prove   a 
success. 

JERRY    HUBBARD, 

The  Author. 


I  am  now  in  my  77th  year  and  in  looking"  back  over 
my  life  there  has  been  so  much  of  the  Lord's  goodness 
and  love,  and  the  many  blessings  I  have  received  from 
His  all  bountiful  hand,  that  I  have  concluded  to  rewrite 
some  parts  of  this  book,  as  all  the  copies  of  it  are  lost 
but  one,  that  in  possession  of  my  youngest  son,  Harry 
K.  Hubbard,  so  that  the  scenes  and  struggles  of  my 
early  life  may  be  preserved  to  my  children  and  my 
faithful  wife,  who  has  shared  the  ups  and  downs  of  a 
preacher's  life  for  more  than  fifty  years,  to  my  beloved 
children,  Henrietta,  Erastus,  Holton,  Edna  and  Harry, 
is  this  book  dedicated  in  love  and  affection. 
Your  father, 

JEREMIAH  HUBBARD. 


A  Teacher's  Ups  and  Downs 


I  commenced  my  first  school  about  the  4th  of  the  I2th 
month,  1858,  at  the  brick  school  house  on  Nolan's  Fork, 
Wayne  county,  Indiana.  The  house  was  five  miles 
northwest  of  Richmond,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  stream 
It  stood  east  and  west,  one  door  in  the  west,  three  win 
dows  on  each  side;  blackboard  across  the  east  end,  also 
a  platform  the  same;  good  patent  desks,  good  stove,  well 
fixed  with  charts,  maps  and  things  needful.  There 
were  about  fifty  pupils  enrolled  during-  the  term,  from 
little  boys  and  girls  to  young"  men  and  women. 

It  was  my  first  attempt  at  school  teaching,  and  I, 
like  many  others,  thought  that  I  knew  it  all,  but  the 
longer  I  taught  the  less  I  knew. 

It  was  a  three-months  term.  In  those  days  we  had 
to  teach  sixty-five  days  for  a  quarter.  I  received  twenty- 
five  dollars  per  month,  and  we  did  not  receive  our  pay 
until  the  next  spring  following.  We  commenced  our 
school  of  a  morning  at  half-past  eight  and  closed  at  half- 
past  four.  The  games  played  were  ''base,"  "black 
man"  and  ''town  ball."  I  enjoyed  the  fun  of  playing 
as  much  as  any  of  the  scholars.  I  thought  it  was  my 
duty  to  play  with  the  pupils  so  that  I  might  have  an 
oversight  among  them, 


14  FORTY    YEARS 

One  young  woman  was  very  fond  of  reading"  novels, 
I  noticed  one  day  she  was  very  attentive  to  her  book, 
especially  her  geography.  I  watched  her  for  awhile  and 
noticed  that  her  book  was  wrong  end  up.  I  told  her 
I  did  not  want  any  more  of  that  kind  of  work  done 
at  my  school.  She  felt  very  badly  about  it  and  I  never 
saw  her  read  those  books  any  more.  Although  not  a 
professor  at  this  time  I  was  much  opposed  to  such  read* 
ing  matter,  believing  it  to  be  very  injurious. 

Teachers  in  those  days  were  hired  by  the  people  of 
each  school  district.  They  would  call  a  meeting  of  the 
patrons  of  the  school.  Sometimes  there  would  be  sev 
eral  applicants  for  the  same  school.  At  this  school 
there  were  three  of  us  that  applied.  I  received  the  high 
est  number  of  votes  and  was  elected.  There  were  direc 
tors  who  had  charge  of  the  papers  and  gave  orders  for 
wood,  tuition,  etc. 

There  was  one  little  boy  by  the  name  of  Borton  that 
I  shall  never  forget.  He  was  blind  in  one  eye,  and 
seemed  to  feel  as  if  everyone  looked  down  on  him  be 
cause  he  was  blind.  I  had  much  sympathy  for  him  and 
showed  him  all  the  respect  possible,  Horace  Mann 
once  said:  "Teachers,  if  a  scholar  ever  enters  your 
school  with  a  club-foot,  or  ragged  clothes  on,  or  any 
other  defects  at  all,  never  let  on  as  though  you  see  them. 
If  any  way  pay  more  attention  to  them  than  others." 
There  has  always  been  a  warm  place  in  my  heart  for 
such  pupils,  A  teacher  will  never  lose  anything  by  re 
specting  persons  of  this  class-  This  circumstance  is 
spoken  of  by  way  of  encouragement  to  young  teachers 
especially..  A  teacher  should  cultivate  a  spirit  of  love 
and  sympathy  for  every  pupil  in  their  school,  I  also 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  1$ 

speak  of  this  little  boy  who,  if  he  is  living  and  his  eyes 
should  ever  rest  upon  these  pages,  he  may  know  that  his 
old  teacher  had  often  thought  of  him. 

This  I  moreover  hold,  and  dare 
Allirm  where'er  my  rhyme  may  go — 
Whatever  things  be  sweet  or  fair, 
Love  makes  them  so. 

In  those  days  the  young  and  old  men  would  meet  at 
some  of  the  school  houses  one  night  in  the  week  for  the 
purpose  of  debating,  and  we  all  took  an  interest  and 
tried  to  see  how  much  we  could  learn.  Joseph  Quigg 
was  a  champion  debater,  a  fine  speaker  and  a  noted 
infidel.  In  a  few  years  after  this  he  was  converted  to 
the  Christian  religion,  and  he  was  now  just  as  bold  for 
the  Lord  as  he  had  been  for  Satan.  He  said  that  before 
he  was  converted  he  was  always  looking  for  the  "black 
sheep"  in  the  flock,  but  now  he  looked  for  the  white, 
and  there  were  more  white  ones  than  he  thought  there 
were.  He  has  long  since  gone  the  way  of  all  the  world 
with  the  bright  evidence  behind  that  he  had  gone  home 
to  glory. 

Spelling  schools  were  quite  common  in  this  country 
in  those  days,  and  all  the  people  who  attended  would 
take  part  in  the  spelling,  the  main  object  seeming  to  be 
to  see  who  could  beat  spelling 

There  was  a  boy  who  attended  this  school  by  the 
name  of  Cox  who  was  a  good  speller  and  a  good  reader 
—  good  spellers  will  nearly  always  be  good  readers.  At 
my  school  that  winter  the  pupils  got  in  the  habit  of 
tagging.  I  put  a  stop  to  it  on  the  school  grounds,  but 
they  would  wait  until  half  a  mile  away  then  go  at  tagging 
again.  The  school  house  stood  in  the  corner  of  a  wooded 


l6  FORTY    YEARS 

pasture  with  a  high  stake  and  ridered  fence  between  the 
house  and  the  road,  I  had  a  pocket  telescope  and  after 
the  children  would  get  quite  a  distance  away  I  would 
slip  down  to  the  corner  and  with  the  instrument  I  could 
see  them  very  plainly.  They  would  tag-  some,  then  look 
to  see  me.  The  next  morning  I  would  tell  them  who 
had  been  at  such  work.  It  broke  it  up  entirely,  and 
they  never  knew  until  the  last  day  of  school  how  I  could 
tell  so  well  who  had  disobeyed.  Then  I  told  them  how 
it  was.  The  reason  I  objected  to  this  sort  of  sport  was 
that  trouble  nearly  always  grew  out  of  it. 

Miles  Hunt  was  one  of  the  directors,  and  he  did  all 
he  could  for  the  benefit  of  the  school.  He  has  long  since 
passed  away,  and  his  amiable  wife  also.  His  children 
are  still  living  happily  together  at  the  old  homestead. 

There  was  a  young  slave  from  Cuba  that  had  run 
away  from  his  master  and  was  lecturing  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  He  was  a  fine  speaker  and  noble  looking 
man  and  no  one  thought  of  him  being  a  slave.  He 
delivered  addresses  to  several  large  congregations  in 
Richmond  and  in  various  school  houses  in  the  country. 
He  had  an  appointment  at  my  school  house.  Word  came 
to  Richmond  that  he  was  a  slave  and  that  there  was  a 
reward  of  one  thousand  dollars  offered  for  him.  He  had 
come  to  Nathan  Hunt's  in  the  morning  before  the  word 
came  to  town.  There  were  some  fellows  who  had  made 
it  up  to  come  out  that  night  and  get  him  and  secure  the 
reward  offered,  but  some  one  heard  of  the  plot,  mount 
ed  a  horse  and  came  out  at  full  speed  and  told  him  about 
four  o'clock.  He  disappeared  in  a  moment  across  the 
road  into  a  field  and  was  not  heard  of  any  more  in  that 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  17 

part  of  the  country.     The  boys  came  out  about  seven 
o'clock  but  their  bird  had  flown, 

My  school  closed  to  good  satisfaction;  we  had  exami 
nation  of  all  the  studies;  the  pupils  had  made  rapid  ad 
vancement.  I  really  did  not  know  how  much  I  was  at 
tached  to  and  how  much  I  did  love  them,  until  we  were 
called  to  part, 

MEMORIES 
Memories  on  which  we  dwell — 

Are  they  those  that,  well  defined 
By  their  crystal  clearness,  quell 

Saddest  longings  of  the  mind? 

After  my  first  school  closed  I  moved  to  Miami  county 
Indiana,  and  commenced  my  second  school  one-half  mile 
west  of  Xenia — a  subscription  school  for  two  months.  It 
was  a  new  part  of  the  country.  My  school  house  was 
built  of  logs  and  was  about  fourteen  feet  square,  with 
slab  benches,  no  desks  and  a  small  blackboard  about 
eighteen  inches  wide  and  three  feet  long.  I  had  about 
thirty  enrolled,  the  most  of  them  small.  There  were 
two  little  girls  by  the  name  of  Hiatt,  very  nice  little 
girls,  that  were  always  there  early  with  their  bright, 
smiling  faces,  They  nearly  always  brought  some  flow 
ers  with  them  for  me.  I  always  have  loved  children.  I 
taught  this  school  the  summer  of  1859;  the  school  house 
stood  just  at  the  edge  of  the  timber;  the  little  folks 
would  build  houses  with  chunks  and  moss.  I  have  often 
watched  them  and  heared  them  talk.  How  many  beau 
tiful  lessons  may  we  all  learn  from  little  folks  if  we  only 
stop  to  watch  them.  Children  in  this  day  and  age  of 
the  world  think  they  cannot  go  to  school  unless  they 
have  a  nice  house  and  good  desks  to  sit  at.  Those  chil 
dren  at  my  school  never  thought  that  there  could  be  any 


l8  FORTY    YEARS 

better  accommodations.  I  fra<i  one  visitor  during:  the 
school — he  looked  as  though  he  was  lost,  I  often  think 
of  those  boys  and  girls;  those  of  them  that  are  living  are 
now  grown  up  to  manhood  and  womanhood;  how  time 
makes  his  mark  on  all  of  us.  We  had  a  nice  time  at  the 
close  of  the  term,  and  I  felt  as  though  I  had  endeavored  to 
do  my  duty  in  trying  to  teach  them  all  I  possibly  could. 
So  ended  my  second  term. 

STRANGE    BIBLE    FACTS 

The  learned  Prince  of  Grenada,  heir  to  the  Spanish 
throne,  imprisoned  by  the  order  of  the  Crown,  for  fear 
he  should  aspire  to  the  throne,  was  kept  in  solitary  con 
finement  in  the  old  prison  at  the  place  of  Skulls,  Madrid. 
After  thirty-three  years  in  this  living  tomb,  death  came 
to  his  release,  and  the  following  remarkable  researches, 
taken  from  the  Bible  and  marked  with  an  old  nail  on  the 
rough  walls  of  his  cell,  told  how  the  brain  sought  em 
ployment  through  the  weary  years: 

"In  the  Bible  the  word,  Lord,  is  found  1,853  times; 
the  word,  Jehovah,  6,855  times,  and  the  word,  Rever 
end,  but  once,  and  that  in  the  gth  verse  of  mth  Psalm. 
The  8th  verse  of  the  ii7th  Psalm  is  the  middle  verse  of 
the  Bible.  The  gth  verse  of  the  8th  chapter  of  Esther  is 
the  longest  verse,  and  the  35th  vjerse  of  the  nth  chapter 
of  St.  John  is  the  shortest.  In  the  io6th  Psalm  four 
verses  are  alike,  the  8th,  I5th,2ist  and  3ist.  Each  verse 
of  the  I36th  Psalm  ends  alike.  No  names  or  words 
with  more  than  six  syllables  are  found  in  the  Bible.  The 
37th  chapter  of  Isaiah  and  igth  chapter  of  Second  Kings 
are  alike.  The  word,  girl,  occurs  but  once  in  the  Bible, 
and  that  in  the  3rd  verse  and  3rd  chapter  of  Joel.  There 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  IQ 

are  found  in  both  books  of  the  Bible,  3,586,483  letters, 
773,693  words,  31,373  verses,  1,139  chapters  and  66 
books.  The  26th  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is 
the  finest  to  read.  The  most  beautiful  chapter  in  the 
Bible  is  the  23rd  Psalm.  The  four  most  inspiring:  prom 
ises  are:  John  i6th  chapter  and  2d  verse;  John  6th  chap 
ter  and  37th  verse;  St.  Matthew  nth  chapter  and  28th 
verse;  and  the  37th  Psalm  and  4th  verse.  The  first 
verse  of  the  6oth  chapter  of  Isaiah  is  the  one  for  the  new 
convert.  All  should  read  the  6th  chapter  of  Matthew. 
All  humanity  should  learn  the  6th  chapter  of  St  Luke, 
from  the  2oth  verse  to  its  ending." 

I  began  my  third  term  of  school  in  the  northeast 
corner  of  Howard  county,  Indiana,  in  the  winter  of 
1859-60.  They  hired  me  for  three  months  at  twenty-five 
dollars  per  month;  one-half  of  this  was  to  be  public 
money,  the  other  half  to  be  paid  by  those  that  sent  the 
last  half  of  the  term. 

My  school  house  was  a  log-  one  about  twenty  by 
twenty-four,  with  large  wooden  desks,  large  enough  for 
six  or  eight  to  sit  at  and  a  small  blackbord  hard 
ly  large  enough  for  one  to  work  at.  They  told  me  be 
fore  I  commenced  teaching  that  it  was  one  of  the  hardest 
schools  in  the  county  to  manage.  I  commenced  my 
school  about  the  first  of  I2th  month,  1859.  I  recollect 
as  I  went  to  school  the  first  morning  I  had  the 
blues  to  some  extent.  There  were  some  very  rude 
boys,  or  nearly  young  men,  who  were  reported 


2O  FORTY    YEARS 

to  be  very  rude  and  hard  to  manage.  I  went  to  work, 
laid  down  my  rules  plain,  so  that  all  could  understand 
them,  with  the  firm  determination  on  my  part  to  keep 
everyone  just  to  that  line.  One  young-  man  thought  he 
would  try  me  and  see  how  things  went;  I  stopped  every 
thing  and  brought  him  back.  There  was  another  young 
man  who  was  counted  the  ring-leader  in  meanness;  he 
attended  a  Methodist  protracted  meeting  at  old  Antioch 
meeting-house,  a  mile  or  so  east  of  the  school  house;  he 
became  convicted,  was  converted,  and  after  this  was  one 
of  the  best  boys  I  ever  saw  in  a  school  room.  While  he 
was  a  lion  before  he  was  converted  he  was  like  a  lamb 
now,  kind  and  gentle.  I  was  not  a  professor  at  this 
time,  but  I  thought  that  there  must  be  some  reality  in 
religion.  After  this  my  school  passed  along  very  nice 
and  quietly.  This  young  man  became  a  Methodist  min 
ister  and  is  now  in  northern  Missouri  preaching,  if  he  is 
living.  I  hope  that  he  and  I  may  meet  again  where 
parting  is  no  more 

The  law  then  was  that  there  were  three  examiners: 
one  in  each  end  of  the  county  and  one  at  the  county 
seat.  After  I  had  taught  about  one  month,  I  walked 
twelve  miles  to  Jerome,  a  little  town  they  examined  in 
in  those  days,  whenever  an  applicant  came.  I  got  to  the 
examiner's  house  about  noon;  they  were  eating  dinner, 
and  he  would  have  me  eat  with  them.  After  dinner  he 
began  to  ask  me  some  questions  orally;  in  about  one 
hour  he  gave  me  a  certificate  for  one  year.  I  felt  real 
proud,  as  I  trudged  along  home  in  the  snow. 

There  was  one  man  that  sent  eight  children  to  school 
until  he  thought  the  term  was  half  out,  then  he  kept  them 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  '21 

all  at  home;  the  rest  of  the  patrons  sent  on  until  the 
term  closed,  He  was  afraid  that  he  would  have  to  pay 
out  some  money,  but  when  school  closed  it  was  found 
that  there  was  money  enough  to  pay  the  full  time.  I 
think  I  never  saw  a  man  hate  anything1  so  much  as  he 
did  that  he  had  now  lost  so  much,  and  his  children 
needed  the  schooling  so  badly  at  this  time.  I  had  forty- 
seven  pupils  enrolled,  I  think.  It  was  during  this  term, 
a  very  cold  winter,  that  we  had  great  times  playing  ball. 
The  school  house  was  on  the  south  edge  of  some  timber. 
There  was  one  little  girl  who  attended  this  school  whom 
T  met  several  years  after,  one  evening  as  I  was  return 
ing  home  from  school;  she  and  her  husband  stopped  me 
to  enquire  the  way.  After  a  few  moments  she  said  to 
me:  "Is  not  your  name  Hubbard?"  I  replied  that  it 
was.  She  then  said  she  was  satisfied  of  it  now.  She 
had  grown  up,  and  was  not  the  little  girl  she  was  at  my 
school,  and  I  knew  her  not  when  she  spoke  to  me.  We 
had  an  examination  and,  also,  an  exhibition;  the  patrons 
were  well  satisfied  with  my  labors  as  a  teacher.  How 
my  heart  was  knit  to  those  pupils  in  love. 

My  fourth  school  was  taught  the  summer  of  1860  at 
Xenia,  Miami  county,  Indiana — a  subscription  school, 
I  taught  in  a  large  room  up  stairs  in  the  Addington 
building,  called  by  some  "Noah's  Ark  "  My  school 
room  was  about  sixty  feet  long  and  twenty-one  feet 
wide.  I  had  sixty-five  pupils  enrolled,  and  about  forty 
nearly  of  one  size.  The  pupils  were  in  the  habit  of  talk 
ing  just  about  as  they  pleased.  I  got  tired  of  that  and 
told  them  it  must  be  stopped.  The  day  I  told  them  this  I 
whipped  seventeen,  which  came  near  stopping  it  altogeth 
er.  One  day  I  discovered  a  young  woman  whispering.  I 
told  her  to  stand  on  the  floor.  She  got  mad.  I  said  go. 


22  FORTY    YEARS 

She  got  up  and  came  out,  but  at  noon  she  went  home,  I 
verily  thought  if  the  little  ones  had  to  mind,  so  should  the 
older  ones  also.  We  had  some  old  wooden  desks  that 
made  a  terrible  noise  when  the  scholars  moved  from  their 
seats.  My  wife  assisted  me  during-  this  term.  There  was 
one  little  boy  that  was  always  full  of  fun,  and  to  use  a  com 
mon  expression  "as  sharp  as  a  brier,"  Mont,  Frazier  was 
his  name.  He  always  told  everything  that  happened 
at  home;  if  he  did  not  get  to  school  in  time  to  tell  it 
before  school  commenced,  he  would  watch  his  chance 
and  tell  it  afterward.  One  morning  he  came  late;  his 
class  was  reciting  on  the  charts.  He  spelled  ''jumps" 
and  called  it  calf.  My  wife  told  him  that  he  knew  that 
it  did  not  spell  -that.  He  looked  up  at  her  very  inno 
cently  and  said,  "Well,  our  cow's  got  a  calf  anyhow." 
He  knew  he  could  make  her  laugh.  He  went -home  at 
night  and  told  his  mother  how  he  had  made  Mrs.  Hub- 
bard  laugh.  He  said,  "I  can  make  her  laugh  anyway," 
His  mother  told  him  that  Mrs.  Hnbbard  would  whip 
him.  "I  ain't  afraid  of  her."  "Well,"  said  she,  "Mr. 
Hubbard  will,  you  know," 

It  was  a  very  pleasant  place  to  teach;  pleasant  on  ac 
count  of  being  the  second  story.  We  had  a  good  breeze 
most  of  the  time  This  was  a  very  pleasant  town  to 
teach  school  in.  I  had  always  heard  it  said  that  it  was 
harder  to  teach  in  town  than  in  the  country,  but  I  could 
not  see  any  difference.  My  school  passed  along  very 
nicely.  My  pupils  all  took  an  interest  in  their  studies; 
at  the  close  of  the  term  we  had  an  exhibition;  we  had  a 
nice  time  and  closed  with  good  feeling  among  all,  long 
to  be  remembered  by  all  of  us. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  23 

About  this  time  the  schools  began 
To  slack  the  use  of  the  rattan  f 
They  said,  "O,  no,  it  will  not  go 
To  use  the  rod  on  children  so." 

Parents  have  ceased  to  remonstrate, 
So  children  begin  to  demonstrate ; 
And  teachers  try  with  various  plans — 
Coax,  plead  entreat,  and  keep  off  hands. 

Some  teachers  fall  into  the  way 

Of  letting  the  children  sleep  and  play. 

My  fifth  school  was  taught  the  winter  of  1860-61,  at 
Xenia,  in  Miami  county,  Indiana,  with  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Eli  Wall.  He  was  an  old  man  and  had  taught 
school  a  great  many  years.  We  taught  in  the  Metho 
dist  meeting  house,  as  the  district  had  no  school  house. 
He  and  I  started  one  very  cold  morning  to  Peru  to  be 
examined.  It  was  about  eighteen  miles;  we  took  one 
horse  along  and  rode  it  time  about.  We  reached  there 
about  two  o'clock;  Eli  went  to  put  up  his  horse,  and  I 
went  into  the  examiner's  office  to  see  him.  They  had  no 
stated  times  to  examine.  When  I  went  into  the  room 
where  lie  was,  (he  was  a  lawyer),  he  was  very  busy  writ 
ing.  I  told  him  my  business;  he  just  kept  on  writing. 
Said  he:  "Tell  me  what  will  be  the  interest  on  one  hun 
dred  dollars  for  twelve  days,  at  six  per  cent."  He  told 
me  to  work  it  mentally.  After  I  had  got  that  done  he 
asked  me  the  capitals  of  several  states  and  some  more 
questions,  In  a  few  moments  he  handed  me  a  certificate 
for  two  years.  Effinger  was  the  examiner's  name.  When 
Eli  came  in  I  introduced  him  to  the  examiner.  Said  he: 
"Mr.  Wall,  tell  me,  if  you  please,  what  the  capital  of 
Kentucky  is."  The  old  rnan  was  not  expecting  him  to 
commence  so  soon,  and  he  could  not  nor  did  not  answer 


24  FORTY    YEARS 

the  question  at  all.  He  turned  around  to  me  and  said: 
"Well,  Jerry,  I  just  cannot  tell  what  it  is."  I  have  never 
seen  a  man  so  completely  nonplused  in  my  life;  he  would 
look  first  one  way  and  then  the  other,  and  oh,  how  he 
would  chew  his  tobacco!  The  examiner  finally  answer 
ed  it  for  him.  He  then  asked  him  a  few  more  questions 
and  gave  him  a  certificate  for  eighteen  months.  Eli  then 
turned  to  me  and  said:  "Now,  I  reckon  he  will  take  you 
through  a  course."  "No,"  said  I,  "here  is  my  license."  He 
seemed  very  much  astonished,  and  wanted  to  know  when 
I  was  examined.  I  told  him  while  he  was  putting  up  his 
horse.  We  paid  him  fifty  cents  apiece,  and  started  again 
for  home.  This  was  a  sample  of  how  they  used  to  take  us 
fellows  through. 

We  commenced  our  school  about  the  first  of  the  I2th 
month,  1860,  It  was  a  large  house,  seated  for  meeting 
purposes.  The  first  morning  Eli  proposed  that  we  di 
vide  the  school,  he  taking  the  boys  and  I  the  girls.  We 
had  about  one  hundred  pupils.  Eli  sood  found  he  had 
a  bad  bargain.  He  allowed  his  pupils  to  whisper  as 
much  as  they  pleased;  also  retire  from  the  room,  one, 
two,  three,  or  half  a  dozen  at  a  time.  His  lack  of  sys 
tem  diverted  the  attention  of  my  scholars.  Mathemat 
ics  often  puzzled  him;  he  would  chew  tobacco  and  spit 
a  ring  around  him;  several  of  the  young  men  used  the 
weed  and  spit  all  over  the  floor.  I  chewed  tobacco  then 
but  this  performance  disgusted  me  and  I  quit.  Any 
man  can  quit  its  use.  Oh,  how  many  young  men  are 
ruining  themselves  by  the  inveterate  use  of  tobacco.  In 
stead  of  its  making  them  look  smart,  it  looks  very  small 
to  every  sensible  person. 


The  Lord's  Call 


In  the  closing:  chapter  I  have  mentioned  five  schools 
and  my  experiences.  All  told,  I  have  taught  twenty- 
seven  terms  of  school  in  Indiana,  Kansas,  Missouri  and 
the  then  Indian  Territory.  Somewhere  near  two  thou 
sand  children  have  attended  my  schools  during"  that 
time.  Many  of  these  children  have  gone  to  their  long 
homes;  many  have  grown  up  and  settled  in  life.  One 
fact  yet  remains  to  be  written  and  that  is  humanity  is 
pretty  nearly  the  same,  go  where  you  will.  Children 
can  be  classified  into  groups,  with  each  group  running 
parallel  in  each  school,  no  matter  how  widely  separated 
the  schools  may  be. 

With  the  twenty-seventh  term  my  teaching  came  to 
an  end.  and  I  had  given  up  all  for  the  work  of  the  bless 
ed  Master,  who  has  done  so  much  for  me. 

It  was  while  living  at  New  London  that  my  wife 
and  I  joined  the  Friends  church.  Here  we  lost  two 
children,  a  boy  and  girl,  It  was  here  that  the  Lord 
called  me  to  follow  Him.  I  began  to  speak  in  meet 
ings,  and  one  day  in  mid-week  meeting  I  went  a  few 
minutes  before  meeting  time  and  Pryor  Wright,  a  dear 
old  friend,  said  he  wanted  to  speak  to  me  at  the  East 
door  My  heart  went  pit-a-pat,  for  I  thought  he  was 
going  to  tell  me  to  be  still  in  meeting.  When  we  got 
there  Zimri  Newlin  was  there  and  I  made  sure 
that  I  was  in  for  an  elder's  dose  of  advice, 


26  FORTY    YEARS 

for  they  were  both  elders  and  had  the  right  to  silence 
me,  Pryor  Wright  said  they  thought  I  ought  to  take  a 
seat  in  the  gallery,  (that  part  of  the  house  was  set  aside 
for  the  heads  of  the  Meeting).  If  he  had  struck  me  I 
could  not  have  been  more  astonished.  I  told  them  I 
did  not  feel  worthy  and  preferred  to  sit  where  I  always 
had  sat.  They  told  me:  "No,  we  think  best  for  thee 
to  go  up  higher,"  I  replied  that  if  Pryor  would  come 
when  the  meeting  convened  and  lead  me  up  I  would  go. 
He  did  so,  and  I  felt  exceedingly  little  and  humble  in 
this  new  position, 

I  had  been  speaking  for  some  time  extemporaneous 
ly  with  fear  and  trembling  until  one  day  the  devil  whisp 
ered  to  me  that  I  made  an  awkward  and  unsatisfactory 
delivery  and  that  I  had  better  write  my  sermons.  I  did 
so,  preparing  a  fine  one  and  committing  it  to  memory. 
I  even  went  so  far  as  to  hold  two  or  three  rehearsals  out 
in  the  barn  lot,  but  when  Sunday  came  and  I  got  up  to 
preach  I  could  not  remember  the  text  nor  the  first  word 
of  that  sermon,  I  began  to  tremble  and  the  words, 
"Woe  is  me  if  I  do  not  preach  the  gospel,"  were  borne 
in  upon  me.  Quickly  the  answer,  "Trust  in  Me  and  1 
will  aid  thee,"  came,  and  from  that  clay  to  this  I  have 
trusted  in  the  Lord  to  inspire  me.  I  often  go  to  the 
services  not  knowing  what  the  -text  will  be  even,  so  firm 
is  my  trust  in  the  power  of  the  Lord  to  fulfill  His  prom 
ise  to  me.  Praise  the  Lord. 

I  soon  began  holding  meetings  in  the  school  houses, 
and  great  crowds  were  in  attendance.  The  old  Friends 
did  not  like  my  going  out  in  this  manner,  but  I  knew 
the  Lord  was  calling  me  and  so  I  went  on.  They  could 


AMONG  THE    INDIANS  ^7 

do  nothing-  with  me  as  I  was  not  a  recorded  minister. 
(Recorded  ministers  are  subject  to  the  elders  and  can  be 
dealt  with  by  the  Meeting-.)  I  was  teaching  in  the  Por 
cupine  district,  a  hard  neighborhood  where  a  spelling 
school  could  not  be  held  without  a  fight.  A  funeral 
was  in  progress  at  the  school  house,  a  minister  being:  in 
charge.  As  I  sat  there  I  felt  as  though  I  must  talk  to 
the  people  that  night.  At  the  conclusion  of  the. services 
the  minister  announced  that  "Brother  Hubbard  will 
address  you  tonight."  This  astonished  me,  as  nothing 
had  been  said  in  regard  to  the  matter.  The  Lord  seem 
ed  to  call  and  from  that  hour  until  night  my  time  was  de 
voted  to  prayer.  The  house  was  full  with  good  order. 
The  meeting  was  repeated  the  next  night  and  every 
night  for  three  weeks.  Many  conversions  took  place 
and  the  entire  neighborhood  became  quiet  and  orderly. 
The  old  Friends  heard  of  what  was  going  on  and 
came  out  to  see  about  it  and,  if  possible,  to  stop  the  meet 
ings.  They  were  met  with  the  response  that  the  meetings 
were  doing  more  good  for  that  community  than  anything 
that  had  ever  taken  place  there  before;  that  the  best  of 
order  was  maintained;  that  when  the  meetings  broke  up 
there  was  no  swearing  or  shooting  as  heretofore,  and  that 
the  Friends  had  better  go  back  to  town. 

Those  old  Friends  thought  the  church  was  ruined. 
At  about  this  time  Honey  Creek  Quarterly  Meeting 
appointed  a  committee  to  visit  all  the  Meetings  of  the 
Quarter.  Kokomo  was  the  last  meeting,  which  was  held 
Sunday,  morning  and  night.  No  regular  minister  was  at 
this  point.  It  did  not  seem  right  to  close  at  once  so  I  ap 
pointed  another,  and  by  Wednesday  the  old  house  would 


28  FORTY    YEARS 

not  hold  the  people.  That  was  the  first  revival  ever 
held  in  the  Quaker  church.  The  committee  left  me  to 
myself.  They  were  all  recorded  and  afraid  of  their 
heads.  The  last  man,  Robert  Coats,  on  the  committee 
to  stick  to  me,  finally  said,  "Jerry,  I  can  go  no  farther 
with  thee." 

The  church  being:  too  small  for  the  crowds  a  hall 
was  hired  and  all  the  ministers  in  the  city  attended,  the 
Quakers  coming-,  too.  The  entire  affair  seemed  to  grow 
apace,  I  was  surprised  but  kept  on  praying  and  talking. 
One  night  the  Lord  suggested  to  me  to  set  out  the 
mourner's  bench — the  like  of  which  had  never  been  done 
before  in  a  Quaker  meeting.  I  stepped  down  and  took 
the  first  bench  and  made  a  call  for  those  who  wanted  to 
be  saved  to  come  forward.  In  less  time  than  it  is  tak 
ing  me  to  write  this  the  bench  was  full — half  of  them 
being  Quakers,  Previous  to  this  singing  had  never 
been  known  in  a  Quaker  church.  Father  Rayburn,  a 
Methodist,  was  present  at  this  meeting  and,  feeling  the 
spirit  of  salvation  creeping  over  him,  he  threw  back  his 
head  and  burst  forth  with  ''How  Sweet  the  Name  of 
Jesus  Sounds,"  the  entire  assembly  joining  in. 

Well,  the  meetings  were  getting  to  a  point  where 
the  Friends  did  not  want  me  to  have  the  honor  of  so  big 
a  thing  and  telegraphed  for  Robert  Douglas,  of  Ohio, 
to  come.  He  arrived  Saturday  and  remained  until  Mon 
day  morning  when  he  said,  "I  am  going  home.  This  is 
not  my  meeting,  and  you  let  Jerry  alone  for  the  Lord  is 
with  him."  Many  were  convered  and  joined  the  Friends. 
So  ended  the  first  revival  in  a  western  Quaker  meeting. 
It  set  the  entire  country  ablaze.  Up  to  this  time  there 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  2Q 

had  never  been  a  night  meeting-  or  a  light  in  the  big 
Friends  church  at  New  London.  Wm,  P.  Pinkhem  and 
I  were  holding  a  meeting  in  the  M.  E.  church  which  was 
small  and  did  not  hold  half  the  people.  I  thought  it  was 
no  use  in  that  big  house  not  being  open,  so  I  went  to 
Gideon  Snail,  the  care-taker,  who  was  very  much  in 
sympathy  with  the  meeting,  but  like  the  rest  he  did  not 
say  much,  I  told  him  I  wanted  the  key  to  the  house. 
He  said  "Jerry,  I  cannot  give  it  to  thee,  but  I  will  leave 
the  bar  across  the  East  door  down,"  So  in  the  after 
noon  I  went  over  and  found  the  house  open  and  sent 
boys  all  over  town  telling  that  there  would  be  prayer 
meeting  in  the  Friends  church  and  to  bring  all  the  lights 
they  could.  There  were  at  least  300  people,  many  of 
them  Friends,  for  they  wanted  to  see  what  we  were  go 
ing  to  do,  and  all  the  blame  was  laid  on  me.  I  got  up 
and  told  them  I  wanted  all  to  do  what  the  Lord  called 
for  at  their  hands.  The  M.  E.  class  leader  led  off  with 
"There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood,"  and  we  had  a 
glorious  meeting.  Wheo  it  broke  up  one  Friend  came 
to  me  and  said,  "Jeremiah,  this  thing  won't  mix-"  I  told 
him  if  it  wouldn't  mix  here  it  wouldn't  in  heaven;  anoth 
er  said  he  was  afraid  we  were  going  to  sacrifice  some 
principles,  I  said,  "Did  thee  speak  tonight;  who  called 
on  thee?"  He  said  he  felt  that  he  ought  to  speak.  Wm. 
P.  Pinkhem  was  teaching  the  quarterly  meeting  school 
and  they  told  him  they  would  close  his  school  if  he  did  not 
quit  the  meeting.  They  would  have  closed  mine  but  it 
was  a  public  school.  Such  were  some  of  the  troubles  of 
the  new  progressive  movement  that  swept  over 


FORTY    YEARS 


the  Friends  church.     I  praise  His  name  that  the  Lord  let 
me  out  into  an  open  place,  and  I  have  lived  to  see  those 
that  opposed  me  so  much  go  much  farther  than  I  did, 
Praise  His  holy  name, 


Work  Among  The  Indians 

My  desire  is  now  to  give  an  account  of  the  Grand 
River  Monthly  Meeting-  of  Friends,  composed  of  Indians, 
in  the  Quapaw  Indian  Agency,  in  the  then  Indian  Ter 
ritory,  and  also  of  my  Missionary  labors  and  work  of 
love  for  the  Master  among  the  Ottawas,  Wyandottes, 
Modocs  and  Senecas. 

This  monthly  meeting,  with  four  preparatives  in  the 
above  mentioned  tribes  constituting  the  monthly  meet 
ing,  it  being  the  first  meeting  of  Friends  among  the 
Indians  in  the  world,  and  plainly  demonstrated  the  fact 
that  the  only  way  to  civilize  the  Indian  is  to  christianize 
him. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  be  associated  with  these  In 
dians  when  many  of  the  old  Indians  of  the  Wyandotte 
tribe  and  also  some  of  the  Ottawas  were  still  living. 

The  latter  part  of  the  winter  of  1879-80  I  paid  a  few 
visits  to  the  Indians  of  the  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian 
Territory,  to  hold  meetings  among  them. 

The  chief  of  the  Senecas  sent  me  word  not  to  come, 
as  they  did  not  want  any  meetings  among  their  people. 
I  was  living  at  Timbered  Hills.  Kansas,  some  twenty- 
eight  miles  away  at  the  time.  Jonathan  Pickering, 
Thomas  Smitlf  and  myself  had  arrived  at  the  Wyandotte 
Mission  when  we  heard  the  word.  I  asked  Thomas 
Smith  if  he  was  going  on.  To  which  he  replied.  "If 
thee  goes  I  am  going."  "Well,"  I  said,  "I  am  going." 


32  FORTY    YEARS 

We  got  Nicholas  Cotter  to  pilot  us  down  there.  We 
arrived  at  John  Winney's,  fourteen  miles  south&ast  of 
the  Mission,  at  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and 
put  up  our  team.  We  found  John  sitting  on  the  porch 
smoking:  his  pipe.  We  went  up,  shook  hands  and  said, 
"how!''  He  could  speak  but  little  English,  yet  his  wife, 
Lucy,  could  speak  it  well.  They  gave  us  our  supper, 
and  about  dark  some  half  dozen  Indians  came  in.  Then 
I  felt  that  the  Lord  had  sent  me  to  those  people.  This 
was  the  first  meeting"  ever  held  among  the  Seneca  Indi- 
dians.  for  as  a  Nation  they  had  been  bitterly  opposed  to 
Christianity  in  every  way. 

I  made  a  few  more  visits  and  about  the  middle  of  the 
5th  month,  1880,  Thomas  Smith  and  I  paid  a  visit  to 
Indiana,  and  were  at  Richmond  at  the  time  of  the  meet 
ing  of  the  Executive  committee  on  Indian  affairs,  and 
several  of  the  committeemen  invited  us  to  sit  with  them. 
Charles  F,  Coffin  introduced  us  to  the  meeting;  they  were 
very  glad  to  have  us  with  them  and  asked  a  great  many 
questions  about  the  Indians.  I  told  them  I  was  satisfied 
the  way  to  work  among  the  Indians  was  for  Friends  to  try 
and  get  them  con  verted  and  then  give  them  a  chance  to 
join  Friends,  establish  meetings  among  them  and  start 
them  to  work. 

The  next  day  Charles  F.  Coffin  requested  me  to  come 
to  his  bank  in  the  afternoon.  When  I  arrived  there  he 
wanted  me  to  spend  seven  days  in  each  month  among 
the  Indians  of  the  Quapaw  Agency.  I  replied  I  would 
do  so  if  I  could  have  the  privilege  of  doing  as  the  Master 
directed.  He  said  go,  and  the  Lord  go  with  thee  and 
bless  the  labor  of  saving  souls. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  33 

At  my  request  Timbered  Hills  Friends  church  con 
sented  to  receive  all  Indian  converts,  and  ninety  Indians 
who  were  strong-  in  the  faith  were  added  to  the  mem 
bership. 

During-  the  first  year  of  my  work  amongf  these  peo 
ple  I  spent  one  week  of  each  month  in  visiting-  among 
them  and  holding  meetings  as  seemed  best. 

The  6th  of  the  ist  month,  1881.  we  had  a  birthday 
dinner  for  Grandma  King,  of  the  Ottawa  Nation,  at  the 
Ottawa  meeting  house  The  old  lady  was  113  years  old 
and  could  speak  three  languages  well — Ottawa,  French 
and  English.  During  the  dinner  hour  she  remarked 
that  a  hundred  years  ago  she  had  her  first  beaux. 

During  the  winter  I  held  a  series  of  meetings  among 
the  Ottawas  and  several  of  them  were  converted. 

El  wood  W.  Weesner  accompanied  me  on  my  second 
trip' among  the  Senecas.  They  were  holding  a  feast  at 
the  time  and,  as  we  went  among  them  shaking  hands, 
we  invited  them  to  our  meeting.  Matthias  Splitlog  had 
fitted  up  a  room  over  his  store  for  the  meetings  and  I 
have  often  began  a  meeting  without  a  soul  present  be 
sides  myself. 

At  one  of  my  meetings  at  John  Winney's  I  married 
James  Winney  and  Matilda  Spicer.  They  had  several 
children,  as  they  had  been  living  together  a  number  of 
years,  having  been  married  the  old  Indian  way.  I  also 
married  Sampson  Smith  and  the  woman  he  had  been 
living  with.  I  had  to  use  an  interpreter  as  they  could 
not  understand  me. 

Praise  ye  the  Lord. 


34  FORTY    YEARS 

On  the  1 7th  day  of  the  4th  month  of  1881,  I  married 
Joseph  Boombery  to  Eliza  Bland.  Hiram  Jemison  to 
Matilda  Spicer,  Joseph  Whitecrow  to  Polly  Frost.  All 
of  these  were  living"  together  as  man  and  wife,  or  the 
Indian  way.  There  was  one  thing  I  noticed  among  the 
Senecas.  that  as  soon  as  they  were  converted  they,  if 
living  together,  invariably  wished  to  get  married. 

The  pagan  Indians  among  the  Senecas  were  very 
much  opposed  to  my  meetings.  They  would  have  their 
feasts  at  the  same  time  to  prevent  the  young-  people 
from  coming. 

Leaving  the  Timbered  Hills  in  company  with  my 
wife  and  Alpheus  Townsend,  an  elder,  on  the  8th  day  of 
the  2nd  month,  1881,  we  crossed  Spring  river  on  the 
ferry  at  Baxter  Springs  and  passed  down  the  east  side  of 
the  river  to  the  Modoc  camp.  Our  party  got  lost  before 
reaching  camp  but  had  the  good  fortune  to  overtake  a 
party  of  young  people  who  said  they  were  going  to 
Jerry  Hubbard's  meeting.  We  wondered  at  their  knowl 
edge  of  the  meeting,  but 'on  arriving  in  camp  found  that 
Thomas  Stanley,  a  great  friend  of  the  Indian,  had  pre 
ceded  us' on  foot,  his  usual  mode  of  traveling  when 
in  Indian  county,  and  arranged  for  the  meeting.  Quite 
a  number  of  the  Modocs  were  in  attendance.  Thomas 
Stanley,  Asa  C.  Tuttle  and  myself  spoke  and  sang. 
Long  George,  one  of  the  leading  Modocs,  spoke;  several 
of  them  spoke  in  their  native  tongue.  During  the  meet 
ing  word  came  to  Asa  that  one  of  the  Modoc  women 
had  died  and  would  be  buried  the  afternoon  of  the  next 
day. 

The  funeral  took  place  at  4  o'clock  the  following: 
day,  Thomas  Stanley.  Alpheus  Townsend,  A.  C.  and 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  35 

Emeline  Tuttle,  Long  George,  Steamboat  Frank  and 
myself  spoke.  During"  the  services  the  old  women  sit 
and  moan  in  a  most  dismal  way.  After  the  services  we 
left  for  the  Wyandotte  Mission,  some  six  miles  to  the 
southwest,  where  we  held  a  meeting1  at  7  o'clock. 

On  the  tenth,  we  visited  the  opening  exercises  of  the 
Mission  school,  and  were  simply  astonished  at  the  in 
telligent  answers  to  the  Sabbath  school  lesson  by  the 
scholars.  We  also  listened  to  a  number  of  the  recita 
tions  and  they  were  very  good,  Lizzie  Test  was  cer 
tainly  conducting  a  very  able  school.  After  dinner  we 
started  for  the  Seneca  Nation  with  Uncle  Nic.  Cotter  as 
our  guide.  We  traveled  over  some  very  rough  country, 
and  arrived  at  John  Winney's  at  4  o'clock.  We  had  a 
good  supper  and  after  dark  a  rousing  meeting.  Thomas 
Stanley  gave  us  a  good  talk,  and  my  wife  made  a  very 
earnest  prayer,  especially  interceding  for  Lucy  Winney 
and  John,  Lucy's  husband. 

On  the  eleventh  the  wind  blew  hard  from  the  north 
with  some  snow.  At  T  r  o'clock  we  held  a  meeting.  An 
interpreter  and  several  Indians  were  present.  All  ap 
peared  to  understand  and  some  of  them  were  reached, 
Sampson  Smith  and  his  wife  were  converted  and  joined 
the  Friends.  They  had  been  brought  out  of  paganism 
by  attending  our  meetings.  After  dinner  we  left  for 
Matthias  Splitlog's— some  of  our  number  having  to  go 
on  foot.  When  we  reached  the  river  it  was  up  and 
quite  deep  — hardly  safe  to  venture  in.  Our  interpreter 
'  said  we  could  cross,  so  four  of  us  got  in  the  hack  and 
made  it  all  right,  then  sent  the  rig  back  for  another  load. 
We  had  a  rough  time  of  it  going  from  the  river  to  Split- 


36  FORTY    YEARS 

log's.  Arriving:  there  we  found  that  they  had  anticipat 
ed  our  visit  by  killing  a  beef,  making  fifty  pounds  of 
butter  and  securing  twenty  dozen  eggs.  A  wise  precau 
tion. 

The  twelfth  word  came  to  me  that  John  Winney's 
daughter,  Lizzie,  was  dead  and  that  the  funeral  would 
be  the  following  day  at  10  o'clock.  When  we  arrived 
at  John  Winney's  nearly  all  of  the  Senecas  were  there, 
All  was  quiet  and  solemn.  At  the  close  of  the  services 
my  interpreter  expressed  a  wish  to  be  a  better  man. 
When  an  Indian  makes  up  his  or  her  mind  to  be  a 
Christian  they  give  up  all  at  once. 

We  returned  to  the  Mission  the  twelfth  and  on  the 
fifteenth  I  attended  the  funeral  of  the  wife  of  Arm 
strong  Spicer  and  the  sister  of  Frank  Whitewing.  It 
was  about  six  miles  from  the  Mission,  and  only  four  or 
five  persons  were  present.  It  was  very  impressive  there 
in  the  valley  of  Sycamore  creek,  down  deep  in  the  tim 
ber  with  the  white  mantle  of  snow  on  the  ground  and 
the  solemn-faced  Indians  gathered  about.  When  the 
coffin  was  lowered  into  the  grave  Frank  Whitewing 
dropped  upon  his  knees  and  made  a  powerful  prayer  in 
the  Wyandotte  tongue. 

Starting  for  home  on  the  sixteenth  we  found  the  flow 
of  ice  in  Spring  river  so  strong  that  we  could  not  cross. 
Turning  back  to  Asa  C.  Tuttle's  our  wagon  broke  clown 
and  left  us  stranded  in  the  woods  with  a  small  fire  to 
keep  us  warm  until  Alpheus  secured  another.  At  9 
o'clock  that  night  we  reached  home. 

I  returned  to  the  Mission  on  the  nineteenth  and  held 
splendid  meetings  with  excellent  results.  It  was  during 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  37 

this  meeting:  that  Lucy  Winney  came  to  me  and  said  at 
a  proper  time  John  Winney,  her  husband,  wanted  to 
talk  some,  At  the  proper  time  I  told  John  to  proceed. 
He  arose  and,  in  a  very  dignified  manner,  (I  had  my  in 
terpreter  ready),  said:  ''My  people,  we  come  here  long: 
time  ago'seven  hundred  strong,  and  now  we  only  num 
ber  about  two  hundred  strong.  What  is  the  reason  of 
all  this?  I  believe  I  know,  Because  we  do  not  do  as 
Great  Spirit  wants  us  to  do.  Now,  I  want  my  people 
to  turn,  go  with  me  and  be  Christians;  I  turn,  I  go," 
He  turned  about  and  came  and  gave  me  his  hand,  and 
at  the  same  time  gave  his  heart  unto  the  Lord,  with  his 
mind  fully  made  up  he  yielded  all  into  the  hands  of  the 
Master,  He  says,  "If  we  turn  the  Lord  will  then  love 
us;  this  way  all  new  to  me,  but  I  feel  in  my  heart  it  is 
right  this  way  to  do,  and  the  Great  Spirit  says  right." 
He  felt  the  Lord  told  him  to  quit  the  use  of  tobacco, 
which  he  did  in  about  a  month  after  this  occurance. 
Lucy  told  me  she  was  now  ready  to  make  the  start 
also;  at  this  meeting  two  persons  joined.  We  all 
seemed  riveted  to  the  spot  and  were  loth  to  leave,  be 
cause  we  felt  that  the  Master  had  been  with  us  to  com 
fort  and  to  bless.  Oh,  how  careful  the  Lord  is  to  those 
who  put  their  trust  in  Him.  All  praise  to  the  Master. 

On  my  next  trip  to  the  Territory  I  went  to  the  Otta- 
was  from  Baxter  with  Charley  Albro— he  was  living  at 
the  old  Ottowa  Mission,  Had  a  meeting  there  that  even 
ing — a  precious  time  we  had.  The  next  day  I  went  over  to 
the  Wyandottes,  then  on  to  the  Senecas  again.  Meetings 
ran  along  as  usual  until  the  5th  month  when  the  Executive 
Committee  met  and  requested  me  to  spend  two  weeks  each 


38  FORTY    YEARS 

month  the  coming  year,  instead  of  once  a  month  as  last 
year, 

In  the  seventh  month  of  this  year  we  had  a  camp- 
meeting  at  Splitlog's,  who  had  had  a  large  arbor  built 
60x30  feet,  near  a  large  spring,  and  seated  it  well.  Old 
Father  Bliss  and  Bro.  Parcell.  ministers  in  the  Protes 
tant  Methodist  church,  labored  very  acceptably  in  this 
meeting,  which  lasted  nearly  a  week,  a  goodly  number 
being  converted  among  the  Cherokees  and  Senecas.  One 
day  in  the  meeting  we  sang  the  song,  "Come  Thou  Fount 
of  Every  Blessing,"  in  three  different  languages.  Dad 
dy  Muorat  led  in  the  Cherokee  language,  Nicholas  Cot 
ter  in  Wyandotte,  and  I  led  in  the  English  language. 
We  were  enabled  to  sing  in  the  spirit  and  with  the  un 
derstanding  also.  Our  meeting  grew  in  numbers  and 
interest  from  the  start  and  many  were  led  to  praise  the 
Master  for  kindness  unto  us. 

I  went  on  spending  two  weeks  in  each  month  until 
the  first  of  the  eighth  month,  when  the  Committee  on 
Indian  Affairs  desired  me  to  spend  all  my  time  among 
the  Indians  of  the  Quapaw  Agency.  I  felt  it  was  right 
to  do  so,  and  went  into  the  Wyandoite  reservation  and 
rented  a  house  near  the  Mission  so  my  children  could 
go  to  school.  We  moved  to  the  Territory  the  first  of 
the  Ninth  month,  1881.  A  request  was  made  by  the 
ninety  Indians  that  they  have  a  Monthly  Meeting  and 
four  Preparations,  Ottawa,  Wyandotte,  Modoc  and  Sen 
eca,  and  the  Monthly  Meeting  to  be  called  Grand  River, 
and  to  be  held  once  in  three  months  alternately  at  the 
above  Preparations.  Timbered  Hills  Monthly  Meeting 
granted  our  request.  It  was  sent  to  the  Quarter  and  a 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  39 

committee  was  appointed  to  visit  and  if  thought  best  to 
set  it  up. 

I  was  holding  meetings  at  Splitlog's  when  one  even 
ing  I  made  the  call  for  those  who  wanted  to  be  Chris 
tians  to  come  to  the  altar,  a  young  man  that  I  had  mar 
ried,  was  standing  at  the  farther  end  of  the  hall.  He 
dropped  his  head  a  moment  then  came  forward,  gave 
me  his  hand,  showing  by  that  he  had  given  God  his 
heart.  He  bowed  at  the  altar  with  six  or  seven  others, 
saying,  "I  want  to  be  Christian;  be  good  man."  He 
just  accepted  the  Lord  as  his  savior  at  once  and  was  blest 
by  Him.  The  next  day  he  was  taken  sick  and  lived 
eight  days,  then  passed  quietly  away  happy  in  a  Savior's 
love.  During  his  sickness  he  called  his  wife  to  his  bed 
side  and  told  her  he  could  see  a  door  open  into  heaven, 
and  that  he  saw  Jesus  there  and  many  happy  ones,  and 
that  Jesus  said  to  him,  that  unless  we  love  Him  and  be 
lieve  the  Bible,  we  never  get  to  that  happy  place.  On 
the  day  of  his  death  he  wanted  them  to  sing,  "Come  to 
Jesus."  His  wife,  who  was  a  pagan,  after  his  death  gave 
her  heart  to  Christ  and  joined  the  Friends  church.  He 
was  a  Canadian  Indian,  came  here,  was  married  and 
was  adopted  into  the  Seneca  nation. 

I  will  now  give  a  short  account  of  a  woman  in  the 
Seneca  nation,  a  pagan,  too,  who  was  at  my  meetings  but 
once  in  her  life.  In  about  a  year  after  this  meeting  she 
was  taken  sick  and  on  her  sick  bed  she  told  of  things  she 
had  heard  there;  how  the  Great  Spirit  was  looking  at  us 
all  the  time;  how  He  wanted  us  to  give  Him  our  hearts, 
and  if  we  would  do  that  He  would  help  us  all  the  time 
and  when  we  left  the  world  He  would  take  us  home 


4O  FORTY    YEARS 

to  live  with  Him  always.  She  said:  "I  been  talking-,  He 
hear  me;  I  feel  him  here  in  my  heart,  I  so  glad.  I 
die;  I  no  live  now.  All  you  my  people  come  go  with 
me;  be  Christian;  believe  what  missionary  say;  he  be 
good  man,  he  want  all  Indian  be  happy;  now  I  know  it 
so."  She  thus  spoke  and  exhorted  all  her  pagan  friends 
who  came  near  her  to  be  rhristians,  dying  in  the  faith 
of  the  gospel.  How  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is 
the  death  of  His  saints. 

At  one  of  my  meetings  held  among  the  Wyandottes. 
Irving  P.  Long  was  converted.  He  was  probably  the 
oldest  Wyandotte  Indian  man  that  was  living  at  this 
time.  He  was  chief  of  the  Wyandottes.  At  the  time 
that  I.  P.  Long  was  converted  John  W.  Greyeyes  was 
deeply  wrought  upon  and  some  time  after  he  was  taken 
sick  and  on  his  death-bed  he  sent  for  Dr.  Kirk  and  said: 
"I  am  going  to  die  and  feel  as  though  I  wanted  to  join 
the  Friends  before  I  go,  I  can  then  go  happy."  He  was 
admitted  into  the  church  and  died  happy  in  Christ. 

I  will  now  speak  of  Nicholas  Cotter,  an  old  Wyan 
dotte  Indian,  that  was  converted  and  joined  Friends. 
He  was  one  of  the  men  who  went  through  to  California 
with  John  C.  Frement  in  1849,  when  so  many  of  Fre 
mont's  party  starved  to  death. 

Some  one  asked  an  Indian  how  he  was  converted 
He  replied:  ''I  make  a  ring  with  leaves,  then  I  set  fire 
to  the  leaves;  I  take  a  worm,  put  he  inside,  worm  he  run 
this  way,  come  to  fire,  then  that  way,  then  other  way, 
fire  all  round;  then  worm  he  get  in  middle,  curl  up,  lay 
down  to  die;  then  I  pick  up  worm,  put  him  outside  fire, 
put  him  down,  he  now  run  away.  So  with  Indian.  I 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  4! 

run  this  way  then  run  that  way,  feel  bad  any  way,  then 
I  give  up,  lay  down  to  die,  no  way  out.  When  I  give 
up,  can't  help  myself,  then  Jesus  come  lift  me  up,  sit  me 
in  a  good  place;  I  feel  good,  then  I  happy  and  happy  all 
the  time.  That's  how  the  Master  will  make  Indian  hap 
py.  I  love  him  all  the  time." 

I  insert  a  piece  below  written  by  Lucy  A.  Winney,  an 
Indian  woman  and  a  Wyandotte,  who  married  John  A. 
Winney,  a  Seneca,  These  lines  will  show  that  an  Indian 
sees  and  feels  as  well  as  the  white  people: 

IN    MEMORIAM 

Linnie,  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Mary  G.  Hubbard, 
aged  14  years  and  11  days,  departed  this  life  at  12:20, 
3rd  month,  2 3rd,  1886. 

She  had  given  her  young  heart  to  Jesus,  therefore 
death  had  no  terrors  for  her,  but  passed  quietly  and  peace 
fully  away  borne  by  her  loving  Savior  through  the  shad 
ow  of  the  valley  of  death.  Her  health  failed  about  a  year 
previous  to  death,  the  last  three  months  were  that  of  entire 
prostration  attended  with  great  suffering,  but  she  bore 
all  with  patience  and  resignation.  Her  funeral  was  large 
ly  attended,  Rev.  John  M.  Watson  speaking  upon  the 
occasion.  She  was  laid  away  in  the  Wyandotte  grave 
yard,  and  being  near  the  Mission  the  children  all  attend 
ed,  the  class  of  which  she  had  been  a  member  bearing 
with  them  a  nice  wreath  of  flowers,  as  an  emblem  of 
their  love.  She  was  a  loving  and  dutiful  daughter  to 
her  parents  to  whom  we  extend  a  heartfelt  sympathy  in 
this  breaking  asunder  of  earthly  ties,  but  another  link 
has  been  added  unto  them  in  the  celestial  world  where 
Christ  has  garnered  His  precious  jewels. 

LUCY  A.  WINNEY. 


42  FORTY    YEARS 

I  have  felt  that  it  would  be  right  to  insert  the  memo 
rial  of  Dr,  Charles  Kirk,  one  of  the  best  beloved  of  our 
Missionaries: 

MEMORIAL  SERVICES 

Memorial  services  in  memory  of  Dr,  C.   W.  Kirk, 

'  were  held  at  Barnett's  chapel  in  the  Wyandotte  reserve, 

Indion  Territory,  Tenth  month,  22nd  day,  1893,     Lucy 

Winney  read  the  following  account  of  his  life  and  labors 

in  the  Indian  Territory: 

In  memory  of  Dr.  C.  W,  Kirk,  who  passed  away  at 
his  home,  Shawneetown,  Indian  Territory,  on  the  gth 
of  gth  montn,  1893.  Dr.  Kirk  was  born  in  Richmond, 
Indiana,  April  7th,  1836,  and  in  1868  was  married  to 
Rachel  Hollingsworth,  who  now  survives  him,  and  who 
is  so  well  known  in  this  community.  In  their  home  in 
Richmond  there  was  comfort  and  all  the  pleasant  sur 
roundings  of  a  happy  home,  loved,  honored  and  esteem 
ed  by  all  who  knew  him.  But  the  Master  called  and  he 
gave  up  all  and  followed  Him.  In  all  ways  and  at  all 
times  did  he  manifest  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  that  dwelt  so 
richly  with  him  because  of  the  promises  that  are  ''yea" 
and  "amen'  forever  to  them  that  believe  and  accept.  Dr. 
Kirk  had  received  a  good  English  education  and  after- 
Wards  studied  medicine  and  practiced  it  for  a  number  of 
years,  when  he  was  called  to  the  missionary  work  among 
the  Indians,  coming  to  the  Indian  Territory  as  superin 
tendent  and  his  wife  as  matron  of  the  government  mis 
sion  school  for  the  Wyandotte,  Shawnee  and  Seneca  In 
dians  in  August,  1878,  remaining  six  years,  in  which  he 
proved  his  efficiency  for  the  work  by  his  kindness,  pati 
ence  and  perseverance.  He  conquered  every  obsticle 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  43 

and  made,  as  it  was  said,  the  pride  of  the  community. 
In  1884  he  resigned  his  place  in  the  school  and  re 
turned  to  his  home  in  Richmond  on  account  of  his  health 
and  for  an  only  daughter,  as  he  could  there  secure  bet 
ter  advantages  for  the  finishing  of  her  education,  for  he 
was  very  devoted  to  his  family  as  well.  He  returned  to 
the  Territory  in  1885,  settling  in  Shawneetown,  by  ap 
pointment  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  Indian  affairs 
as  general  superintendent  of  Friends'  religious  work  in 
the  Territory.  » 

This  work  was  an  arduous  one,  besides  laboring  in 
his  own  neighborhood,  he  visited  all  the  stations  and 
meetings  from  time  to  time,  Nearly  eight  years  was 
thus  spent,  wherein  he  gathered  many  sheaves  for  the 
Kingdom. 

The  Dr.  had  been  a  sufferer  from  heart  trouble  for 
eighteen  years  and  many  times  during  that  period  he 
had  bade  his  loved  ones  "good-bye."  When  taken  worse 
he  said  he  could  not  live  long  but  was  ready  to  go,  yea 
ready  to  go  because  of  the  life  that  was  hidden  behind 
the  cross.  About  half  an  hour  before  life  ceased  he  look 
ed  up  saying,  "I  see  the  ushers,"  and  his  face  aglow  with 
light  Divine,  he  entered  the  glory  world.  When  his  wife 
said,  ''I  cannot  live  without  thee,"  he  said  it  would  not 
be  for  long.  We  miss  the  familiar  voice  and  step;  no 
more  tidings  of  an  expected  coming;  he  has  joined  the 
departed  ones,  among  them  Benjamin  Tousey,  I.  P.  Long. 
Nick  Cotter,  Frank  Whitewink  and  many  others.  By 
his  request  he  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  where  he 
closed  his  life  and  labors,  to  await  the  resurrection 
morn. 


44  FORTY    YEARS 

Jeremiah  Hubbard  then  spoke  from  the  text,  "Mark 
the  perfect  man  and  behold  the  upright  for  the  end  of  that 
man  is  peace."  He  was  followed  by  John  A,  Winney  and 
Smith  Nichols,  speaking  in  their  own  tongue  and  then 
interpreted. 

The  morning  session  closed  by  singing  a  hymn  in  Wy- 
andotte.  The  afternoon  session  was  occupied  by  the  mis 
sionaries  of  each  station  and  a  hymn  from  each  tribe. 
Opportunity  was  then  given  for  any  who  wished  to 
speak.  Scarface  Charley  on  behalf  of  the  Modocs,  Jo 
seph  Wind  of  the  Ottawas,  Silas  Armstrong  of  the  Wy- 
andottes  and  Joseph  Binnis  of  the  Peroias,  responding. 
The  congregation  then  sang.  "God  be  with  you  till  we 
meet  again." 

The  following  lines  were  taken  from  the  resolutions  of 
respect    that    were    passed    by    Grand    River    Monthly 
Meeting  in  memory  of  Dr.  Chas.  W.  Kirk: 
Hark,  the  voice  of  wailing  from  a  western  strand, 
Kirk,  the  beloved  and  faithful  rests  \vith  the  spirit  band, 
Fighting  in  the  foremost  combat,  all  his  gospel  armor  on, 
Joyfully  he  heard  the  summons,  faithful  one  receive  thy  crown, 
Death's  dark  river  could  not  daunt  him,  Christ's  sweet  presence 

at  his  side, 

Brightened  with  celestial  glory,  all  the  darkly  flowing  tide, 
Heaven  with  all  its  radiant  prospects,  rose  before  his  raptured 

eyes. 

Sweet  familiar  voices  called  him  to  his  mansion  in  the  skies, 
Ask  we,  weeping,  when  so  needed,  he  should  lay  his  armor  down, 
Why  while  veterans  still  are  toiling,  he  should  wear  the  victor's 

crown ; 

Jesus  answers,  what  thou  kuowest  not  hereafter  thou  shalt  know, 
Patient  wait,  my  wisdom,  goodness  soon  eternity  will  show, 
Oh !  for  Godlike  pity  moving,  all  who  bear  the  Savior's  name, 
Then  would  no  barbarian  Redman  for  the  gospel  plead  in  vain. 


A  Brief  Account  of  the  Modocs 


The  Modoc  Indians  were  captured  in  1872  or  '73  and 
brought  to  this  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian  Territory,  and 
placed  in  charge  .of  Hiram  W.  Jones  as  United  States 
Indian  Agent,  They  knew  but  little  about  living  as  white 
people,  but  as  soon  as  brought  here  they  were  anxious 
to  be  doing  something  and  took  very  readily,  or  most  of 
them  did,  to  try  and  help  themselves.  The  government 
secured  of  the  Shawnees  for  them  a  piece  of  land  two  or 
two  and  a  half  miles  square  bordering  on  Missouri  and 
south  of  the  Peoria  lands.  When  they  came  here  they 
numbered,  I  think,  near  150.  Many  of  them  sickened  and 
died  with  consumption.  It  seemed  the  climate  did  not 
agree  with  them.  Such  men  among  them  as  Steamboat 
Frank,  Bogus  Charley,  Scarface  Charley,  Long  George 
and  many  others  of  them  became  interested  in  Christian 
ity  and  many  of  their  children  were  sent  to  the  Quapaw 
mission  school,  under  the  Christian  care  and  instruction 
of  Asa  C.  and  Emeline  Tuttle,  who  at  that  time  had 
charge  of  the  above  mission  as  superintendent  and  ma 
tron- 

There  is  one  very  peculiar  characteristic  about  the 
Modocs  in  burying  their  dead,  and  that  is  that  they  bury 
them  with  the  head  towards  the  east.  I  have  heard  it 
said,  but  don't  know  how  true  it  is,  that  in  Oregon  there 
was  a  mountain  where  the  Modocs  would  go  and  wor 
ship.  They  would  bow  down  at  the  base  and  pray  to 
that  mountain,  and  tradition  says  that  one  side  of  it  was 


46  FORTY    YEARS 

always  green.  They  said  the  mountain  had  a  son  at 
one  time  and  that  he  saw  the  hearts  of  the  people  were 
so  bad  and  mean  that  he  wept  because  of  their  mean 
ness  until  he  died,  and  that  is  why  they  bury  with  their 
faces  looking"  that  way.  One  thing  is  certain,  and  that 
is  they  are  leaving  off  many  of  their  old  ways  and  cus 
toms.  But  to  hear  some  of  the  old  women  wail  at  a 
funeral  is  simply  wonderful.  The  more  I  mix  and  labor 
with  the  Indians  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  they  are 
the  lost  tribes  of  the  children  of  Isreal. 

As  I  saw  these  people  some  years  ago  and  see  them 
now  with  their  hearts  turned  unto  God  I  can  truly  say: 
Praise  the  Lord  for  His  goodness  and  for  His  wonderful 
works  to  the  children  of  men!  Nearly  all  the  Modocs 
are  engaged  in  farming  and  cattle  growing.  They  have 
divided  the  land  up  among  themselves  and  have  about 
forty  acres  to  the  family,  except  what  they  have  in  the 
general  farm,  and  it  is  astonishing  to  see  how  glad  these 
people  are  that  they  have  been  brought  to  see  their  con 
dition  as  it  was  and  then  to  find  what  there  is  for  them 
in  the  gospel. 

May  Thy  blessing,  Lord,  upon  the  Modocs  be 

And  keep  them  by  Thy  power  to  see 
That  what  Thy  will  is  'tis  that's  right, 

So  as  to  KEEP  from  death's  dark  night. 


The  Wyandottes  and  Senecas 

At  some  period  during  the  first  quarter  of  the  six 
teenth  century  a  rupture  took  place  between  the  Wyan 
dottes  and  Senecas  while  they  were  sojourning  tog-eth 
er  within  the  vicinity  of  Montreal.  There  are  conflict 
ing  traditionary  accounts  of  what  caused  the  two  nations 
to  become  hostile  to  each  other.  Some  say  it  was  caus 
ed  by  a  Seneca  maiden  and  a  chief's  son.  If  women  in 
olden  times  have  caused  war  between  civilized  nations 
why  not  among  savages?  If  such  things  can  be  done  in 
a  green  tree  why  not  in  a  dry?  Here  is  one  story  in  re 
gard  to  the  rupture  between  the  two  tribes: 

The  chief  of  the  Seneca  tribe  witheld  his  consent  from 
his  son's  marrying  a  maiden  of  that  tribe.  One  young 
brave  after  another  was  rejected.  Only  on  one  condi 
tion  would  she  give  her  hand  to  any  one  of  them,  and 
that  was  by  slaying  the  chief  who  had  wronged  her.  A 
young  Wyandotte  warrior,  hearing  of  this,  visited  the 
maiden.  He  complied  with  the  condition  and  became 
her  avenger  and  husband.  The  whole  Seneca  tribe  was 
aroused  and  enraged — the  men  flew  to  arms  to  avenge 
the  assassination  of  their  chief  by  destroying  the  Wyan 
dottes.  The  latter  broke  up  their  villages  and  journey 
ed  westward,  while  the  former  were  waiting  for  the  re 
turn  of  their  hunting  party  to  join  them  in  this  warfare, 
but  for  some  unknown  reason  they  did  not  at  that  time 
pursue  the  Wyandottes,  who  continued  their  wanderings 
westward  until  they  reached  the  banks  of  the  Niagara. 


48  FORTY    YEARS 

At  some  time  during  the  latter  part  of  the  i6th  cen 
tury  the  Wyandottes  at  Niagara  migrated  northward  to 
where  the  city  of  Toronto  now  stands.  The  Wyandottes, 
fearing  lest  their  enemies  might  come  upon  them  and 
destroy  them,  journeyed  thence  northward  until  they 
reached  the  shores  of  Lake  Huron.  This  lake  was  named 
after  the  Wyandotte  tribe;  they  were  called  Hurons,  but 
Wyandottes  is  their  proper  name.  In  that  region  they 
found  game  in  abundance  and  they  remained  there  for 
many  years.  During  this  time  a  portion  of  the  Iroquois 
were  inhabiting  the  country  between  the  falls  of  Niagara 
and  what  is  now  the  city  of  Buffalo.  From  there  a 
party  of  the  Senecas  started  in  pursuit  of  the  Wyan 
dottes,  for  it  appears  to  have  been  their  settled  purpose 
to  overtake  them  and  reduce  them  to  subjection.  The 
former  on  finding  no  further  trace  of  them  after  search 
ing  their  deserted  homes  within  the  vicinity  of  what  is 
now  Toronto,  returned  to  Niagara  river. 

Many  years  after  the  Wyandottes,  Chippewas,  Otta- 
was  and  Pottawotamies  formed  a  confederation  or  com 
pact  for  mutual  protection.  The  Wyandottes  were  to  oc 
cupy  and  take  charge  of  the  regions  from  the  river 
Thames  in  the  north  to  Lake  Erie  in  the  south;  the  Chip 
pewas  to  hold  the  regions  from  the  Thames  to  the  shores 
of  Lake  Huron  and  beyond;  the  Ottawas  to  occupy  the 
country  from  Detroit  to  the  confluence  of  Lake  Huron 
and  St.  Clair  river  .and  beyond  and  northwest  to  Michil- 
imackinac  and  all  around  there;  the  Pottawotamies  the 
regions  south  and  west  of  Detroit,  Such  was  the  grand 
division  agreed  upon  by  the  four  nations  of  the  then  vast 
''howling  wilderness."  But  it  was  understood  among 


AMONG  THE    INDIANS  4Q 

them  at  the  same  time  that  each  of  the  four  nations  should 
have  the  privilege  of  hunting  in  one  another's  territory. 
It  was  also  decided  that  the  Wyandottes  should  be  keep 
er  of  the  international  council  fire,  which  was  to  be  rep 
resented  by  a  column  of  smoke  reaching  to  the  skies  and 
which  was  to  be  observed  and  acknowledged  by  all  In 
dian  nations  in  this  part  of  North  America.  From  this 
period  might  be  dated  the  first  introduction  of  the  wam 
pum  belt  representing  an  agreement  between  the  four 
nations.  The  belt  was  left  with  the  keepers  of  the  coun 
cil  fire  from  that  time  forward  until  the  year  1812,  when 
the  council  fire  was  removed  from  Michigan  to  Canada. 

From  about  the  year  1812  on  the  Wyandottes  began 
to  collect  in  Ohio  about  -where  Upper  and  Lower  San- 
dusky  is  now  situated,  and  there  remained  until  about 
the  year  1843,  when  they  removed  to  Kansas. 

Many  years  ago  the  Wyandottes  in  Kansas  sold  out 
their  lands  and  many  of  them  moved  down  to  the  Indian 
Territory  and  their  head  men  made  a  treaty  with  the 
Senecas  and  bought  a  tract  of  land  of  them  and  are  now, 
nearly  all  of  them,  living  in  homes  of  their  own,  and  as 
I  visit  at  their  homes  it  seems  to  me  wonderful  about 
these  people — kind,  generous  and  hospitable,  embracing 
Christianity  in  its  simplest  forms,  without  any  noise 
about  it,  and  calm  and  sedate  in  their  demeanor.  And 
when  I  see  the  Senecas  and  the  Wyandottes  now  living 
peacefully  side  by  side,  and  when  they  come  to  meeting 
sitting  side  by  side  on  the  same  bench,  and  then  to  hear 
each  one  tell  of  the  love  of  God  in  their  souls  and  happy 
because  they  have  found  the  good  way,  it  makes  my 
heart  rejoice  and  I  can  praise  the  Lord. 


5O  FORTY    YEARS 

The  Seneca  Indians  came  to  the  Indian  Territory 
about  eighty  years  ago.  They  first  settled  or  camped  on 
Cowskin  river,  and  gave  it  that  name,  for  when  they 
butchered  their  cattle  they  would  throw  their  hides  into 
the  river,  by  which  it  came  generally  to  be  known  by 
that  name.  The  Senecas  were  a  great  people  to  have 
feasts,  but  as  a  tribe  were  opposed  to  Christianity,  saying 
it  was  the  white  man's  religion,  and  not  for  the  Indian. 
They  never  would  allow  a  minister  to  come  among  them, 
but  after  I  commenced  I  just  held  steady  on  with  the 
work,  trusting  in  the  Lord  and  not  looking  unto  man, 
but  to  a  greater  power  for  help  and  guidance. 


Description  of  a  Wedding 

In  the  winter  of  1884-5,  one  cold  day  I  was  sitting  in 
my  house,  when  one  of  the  children  said  there  were  some 
people  out  there  in  a  wag-on.  I  went  to  the  door  and 
saw  a  man  and  woman  in  a  wagon;  I  went  out  to  them 
and  shook  hands.  The  woman  could  talk  some  English 
and  said:  "We  want  you  come  down  to  our  house."  I 
asked  her  when;  she  said  Friday.  I  asked  what  it  was 
they  wanted.  She  saki  John  wants  to  get  married.  They 
had  been  living  together  the  Indian  way  as  man  and 
wife,  but  now  John  wanted  to  be  married.  I  told  them 
I  come  that  day,  be  there  at  noon  and  I  expect  I  be  hun 
gry;  you'must  fix  dinner  for  me.  She  said  she  would  and 
they  started  off.  The  day  came;  I  got  in  my  buggy  and 
started  off  and  at  the  appointed  time  drove  up  to  their 
cabin  in  the  Seneca  nation.  She  was  getting  dinner.  I 
went  in,  shook  hands  with  her  and  told  her  I  was  on 
time.  In  about  half  an  hour  the  man  came  home  and  in 
a  little  while  some  half  dozen  more  Indians  came  in;  by 
this  time  she  had  dinner  ready,  fixed  up  a  little,  and  the 
man  came  and  stood  up  before  the  fire  and  gave  me  to 
understand  they  were  ready  to  get  married.  By  this 
time  an  Indian  woman  had  come  that  could  talk  Eng 
lish  and  I  got  her  to  interpret  for  me.  I  told  them  to 
stand  up  and  join  their  right  hands,  then  I  repeated  the 
ceremony,  the  woman  using  my  words.  I  pronounced 
them  man  and  wife,  offered  a  short  prayer,  shook  hands 
with  them  and  wished  them  much  joy  in  their  future  life. 


52  '        FORTY    YEARS 

The  rest  of  the  Indians  present  followed  as  I  had  done. 
In  a  few  minutes  dinner  was  ready,  which  consisted  of 
stewed  chicken,  bread,  coffee  and  some  other  things  and 
it  was  eaten  with  a  relish.  After  dinner  I  filled  out  a 
marriage  certificate  and  gave  them  which  I  told  them  to 
keep  as  long  as  they  lived.  I  hitched  up  and  started  for 
home  with  the  thought  that  it  was  right  for  these  people 
to  be  married  right  and  be  taught  the  sanctity  of  the 
marriage  contract.  The  woman  was  a  Wyandotte,  the 
man  a  Senaca. 

ANOTHER  MARRIAGE 

In  the  summer  of  '85  I  was  sent  for  to  go  down  in  the 
southeast  part  of  the  Seneca  nation  to  a  wedding.  I  was 
told  a  week  or  so  before  of  the  day,  so  I  saw  the  old  chief 
of  the  Wyandottes  and  told  him  about  it,  and  told  him 
if  he  would  come  over  early  before  breakfast  on  the  day 
of  the  wedding  he  might  go  with  me.  I  had  forgot  all 
about  his  coming,  so  early  in  the  morning  when  I  saw 
the  old  chief  come  riding  up  as  though  something  had 
happened,  I  said,  "What  does  this  mean,  is  there  some 
of  you  sick?"  I  felt  uneasy.  "No,"  he  said,  "I  come 
to  go  with  you  to  that  wedding."  It  all  came  to  me  of 
our  talk  before.  I  told  him  to  get  down  and  come  in, 
breakfast  would  soon  be  ready,  and  after  breakfast  we 
would  go  in  my  buggy.  We  had  eighteen  miles  to  go 
by  two  o'clock,  a  very  rough,  hilly  and  rocky  country 
through  the  timber  all  the  way.  I  took  the  paths  and 
roads  that  kept  us  in  the  direction  we  wanted  to  go. 
About  half-past  one  the  chief  said.  "Now,  if  you  get 
there  and  can  go  all  these  roads  and  not  get  lost  you 
good  Indian — no  lose  him."  Ten  minutes  before  two, 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  53 

as  we  were  going  along  through  the  woods,  he  shook  his 
head  and  said,  "we  lost,  no  get  there."  I  looked  on 
ahead,  saw  the  house  and  said,  "look  yonder,  what  is 
that?"  He  said,  "house."  "Well,  that  is  the  place  we 
want  to  reach,  and  we  will  be  there  by  two  o'clock,  too, 
sure."  We  drove  up,  hitched  our  team,  and  found  the 
men  off  to  themselves  under  some  trees,  talking,  shook 
hands  with  them  and  said  "how,"  then  went  to  where 
the  women  were  and  shook  hands  with  them.  "Now,"  I 
said  to  the  people,  "we  are  ready  to  marry  these  folks." 
At  this  wedding  I  also  had  to  use  an  interpreter,  as  the 
woman  could  not  understand  English,  but  we  soon  had 
them  married.  They  very  soon  had  dinner  on  the  table 
and  we  ate  a  very  hearty  meal.  All  were  Indians  that 
were  there  and  they  seemed  to  enjoy  themselves  very  well 
and  we  also  had  a  pleasant  visit. 

Along  in  the  afternoon  we  went  over  to  John  Win- 
ney's  and  stayed  all  night  with  them.  It  was  really  in 
teresting  to  have  these  old  men  talk  of  old  times.  On 
the  Sabbath  we  went  to  meeting  at  the  Seneca  meeting 
house  and  the  Lord  favored  us  with  a  glorious  meeting, 
and  in  the  afternoon  went  to  another  place  and  had  meet 
ing  at  a  small  house  with  some  fifteen  or  twenty  Indi 
ans,  which  was  favored  with  another  blessing  from  the 
Master. 

On  the  second  day  we  returned  home  and  when  we 
got  to  my  house  the  old  chief  said,  "How  glad  I  am 
that  I  have  had  the  privilege  of  this  trip."  And  added, 
"I  hope  I  have  not  been  in  the  way?"  I  assured  him 
I  looked  upon  it  as  a  great  privilege  to  have  him  go 
with  me  on  this  trip.  When  I  look  upon  this  man  as  I 


54 


FORTY    YEARS 


have  seen  him  in  times  past,  when  he  used  to  get  drunk 
before  he  was  converted,  and  to  see  him  now,  I  can  but 
truly  say:  "O  grace,  how  wonderful  is  thy  effect  upon 
these  poor  hearts  of  ours  when  applied  by  love  divine/' 
To  the  Master  be  all  praise  from  these  poor  hearts  of 
ours. 


Quapaw  Agency  Work 

In  the  early  history  of  the  Indian  Territory,  Asa  C. 
Tuttle  and  Emeline  commenced  work  in  the  Ottawa  na 
tion;  Asa  would  preach,  hold  meeting's  and  do  Christian 
work,  while  Emeline  would  teach  school.     After  a  year 
or  so  they  started  a  Mission  on  a  very  beautiful  location 
on  the  Ottawa  reserve,   and  they  carried  that  on  very 
successfully   for  several  years.     Many  of  these  Ottawa 
people  were  brought  into  the  fold  of  the  God  by  these 
devoted  people.     Judge  Winn  was  the  Chief  of  the  Ot- 
tawas,  was  a  true  servant  of  the  Lord  and  also  favored 
education  and  used  his  influence  and  power  to  help  these 
friends  on  in  their  work  all  he  possibly  could.  After  going 
ahead  with  the  work  for  a  few  years  at  this  place  a  new 
Mission  was  built  on  the  Quapaw  reserve  called    Qua 
paw  Mission,  some  six  miles  north  of  the  Ottawa  Mis 
sion.     Asa  and  Emeline  were    assigned  that  place  and 
Henry  Thorndyke  and  wife,  from  Iowa,  were  placed  in 
the  Ottawa  Mission.     They  were  faithful  in  their  trust, 
and  Henry  went  home  to  the  land  of  rest   some  years 
ago,  happy  in  a  savior's  love. 

While  at  the  Quapaw  Mission  Asa  and  Emeline  re 
ceived  into  their  school  some  of  the  Modoc  children  and 
the  Modocs  would  visit  their  children  and  hear  Asa  and 
Emeline  talk  about  the  Savior,  and  I  believe  that  Steam 
boat  Frank  and  his  wife  walked  then  some  thirteen  or 
fourteen  miles  to  visit  the  Mission  and  find  out  about 
Christ,  and  as  soon  as  Frank  became  interested  in  the 


56  .FORTY    YEARS 

cause  he  at  once  began  to  tell  the  story  to  his  people, 
and  they  soon  took  an  interest  also.  Asa  and  Em- 
eline  remained  a  few  years  at  the  above  named  Mission, 
and  feeling"  that  they  needed  a  rest  and  their  friends  in 
the  east  were  anxious  to  have  them  with  them,  so  they 
resigned  and  went  back  to  the  Ottawa  nation  for  awhile 
to  visit  and  labor  with  those  people,  and,  while  there, 
the  Modocs  were  very  anxious  to  have  them  come  and 
stay  and  have  Emeline  teach  their  school.  The  agent 
employed  Emeline  and  she  and  Asa  moved  into  Bogus 
Charley  s  house  and  assumed  the  care  of  Charley's  little 
boy.  They  remained  there  for  a  couple  of  years  then 
returned  to  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  where  they  resided 
a  number  of  years. 

The  Lord  blessed  their  work  among  the  Indians  and 
in  the  Golden  City  many  of  those  dear  children  of  the 
forest  and  prairie  will  rise  up  and  call  them  blessed. 

Their's  was  the  first  work  of  Friends  among  the  Ot- 
tawas,  Quapaws  and  Modocs,  and  from  that  time  on 
the  Indians  had  it  verified  unto  them  that  these  people 
were  like  William  Penn,  and  how  wonderful  that  nearly 
every  tribe  has  heard  of  this  great  friend  of  the  Red 
man. 


Conversion  of  Smith  Nichols 


SMITH    NICHOLS 

I  was  holding  meeting's  down  in  the  Seneca  Indian 
tribe  in  the  Seneca  nation,  Indian  Territory.  One  Sab 
bath  had  meeting  at  eleven  o'clock  at  the  meeting"  house 
and  then  went  over  to  Joseph  SpicerV  to  meeting:  at 
three  o'clock.  We  were  holding-  the  meeting  under  the 
trees  in  the  yard  as  there  was  not  room  in  the  house;  my 
interpreter  was  telling  the  people  as  I  spoke;  after  talk 
ing  awhile  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  should  stop  and  ask 
through  my  interpreter  if  there  was  not  some  one  there 
who  wished  to  give  themselves  to  the  Lord.  Some  one 


58  FORTY    YEARS 

touched  my  arm  and  I  hardly  knew  whether  to  believe 
my  eyes  or  not  for  who  should  it  be  but  Smith  Nichols; 
a  man  everyone  was  afraid  of  and  the  holy  terror  of  the 
community.  I  took  him  by  the  hand  and  said,  " Smith 
Nichols,  will  thee  give  thyself  to  the  Lord?"  He  said 
yes,  so  he,  I  and  the  interpreter  knelt  down.  I  prayed 
for  him,  then  told  him  to  ask  the  Lord  to  forgive  him, 
which  he  did  in  his  own  tongue,  and  in  a  few  moments 
he  arose  saying  he  felt  light  like  a  feather.  I  asked  him 
if  he  wanted  to  talk  some.  He  said,  "yes,  I  like  to  talk 
some."  He  said,  ' 'maybe  two  months  ago  I  out  hunting 
way  out  in  hills;  I  walk  along,  something  say  to  me, 
'Smith  Nichols  ought  to  be  Christian.'  I  say  next  time  I 
hear  Te-ya-me-da-ya,  (that  was  my  Indian  name,  given 
me  the  i$th  day  of  August,  1873)  have  meeting,  1  go. 
So  I  hear  this  morning  he  have  meeting,  I  come.  When 
I  get  here  he  stop  preaching,  then  he  ask  any  one  want 
to  be  Christian.  I  tell  him  I  do,  so  I  give  myself  to  Je 
sus."  A  clear  case  of  the  leading  of  the  spirit.  The  next 
day  we  had  meeting  at  the  council  grounds.  The  spirit 
told  me  to  ask  Smith's  wife  to  become  a  Christian.  She 
was  happily  converted.  Smith  afterwards  built  a  meet 
ing  house  on  his  place,  a  very  nice,  comfortable  build 
ing.  My  wife  gave  him  a  Bible  for  his  meeting  house. 
He  sent  for  me  to  come  and  dedicate  the  building,  which 
I  did  one  Sabbath.  The  father  of  Smith's  wife  was  a 
very  strong  pagan  Indian  but  she  labored  with  him  until 
he  gave  himself  to  the  Lord  and  was  saved  and  died  and 
went  home  to  Glory. 

Smith  was  very  earnest  for  his  people  to  become 
Christians,  while  you  could  feel  the  power  of  his  wife's 
testimony  although  unable  to  understand  the  words. 


Chief  of  the  Ottawas 


MANFORD    POOLER 


Manford  Pooler  is  an  Ottawa  Indian,  and  is  chief  of 
the  Ottawa  tribe  of  which  there  are  only  about  one  hun 
dred  and  eighty  left. 


JOHN  A.  WINNEV 


Conversion  of  John  A.  Winney 

He  was  a  Seneca  Indian  and  leading-  man  of  his  tribe. 
The  first  meeting-  I  ever  held  in  the  Seneca  nation  was 
held  at  his  home;  had  ten  conversions  and  married  a 
couple  of  Indians.  Every  time  I  went  there  I  shook 
hands  with  him  and  said,  "Lord  wants  John  Winney  to 
be  Christian."  He  would  sit  there  and  grunt  as. he  could 
not  talk  much  English.  After  eighteen  months  his  wife, 
Lucy,  came  to  me  one  Sabbath  morning  at  Splitlog's, 
and  said  at  the  proper  time  John  wanted  to  talk  some.  I 
knew  there  was  something  coming,  had  my  interpreter 
ready  and  told  John  to  speak.  He  got  up  and  said.  "My 
people  we  come  here  long  time  ago,  not  so  many  now 
as  used  to  be  of  us;  I  believe  I  know  reason,  because  we 
do  not  do  what  Jesus  wants  us  to  do.  I  watch  Te-ya- 
me-da-ya  every  time  he  come  to  my  house.  He  say, 
'John  Winney,  Jesus  wants  you  be  a  Christian.'  Now  I 
watch^him;  he  walk  strait  and  I  believe  he  got  some 
thing  Injun  not  got,  so  I  make  up  my  mind  I  am  going 
to  give  myself  to  Jesus.  I  wish  my  people  go  with  me." 
He  turned,  took  hold  of  my  hand  and  gave  me  a  pump- 
handle  shake  for  a  minute  or  more  and  said,  "now  I  be 
Christian."  John  was  about  twenty-five  years  old  at 
that  time,  and  he  never  wavered  or  faltered  while  he 
lived.  He  built  a  meeting  house  some  twelve  miles 
rom  where  he  lived,  called  Bethany. 

When  converted  John  was  a  great  smoker  but  in 
about  a  month  afterwards  he  was  sitting  on  his  porch 
getting  ready  for  a  smoke  when  the  Lord  called  him  to 
put  away  his  pipe  and  tobacco,  which  he  did  and  never 
touched  it  any  more, 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  63 

John  Winney  said  one  day  he  wanted  to  go  with  me 
among"  the  blanket  Indians,  the  Sac  and  Fox,  Kickapoos, 
lowas,  Shawnees  and  Pottawatomies,  and  hold  meetings. 

We  first  went  to  the  Iowa  camp,  some  sixty  or  sev 
enty  wigwams.  At  about  4  p.  m.,  while  standing  near 
a  wigwam  I  heard  Indians  talking-  in  the  bushes  near  by 
and  in  a  short  time  five  monster  blanket  Indians  emerg 
ed  and,  taking  hold  of  me,  did  everything  with  me  but 
stand  me  on  my  head,  and  I  looked  for  them  to  do  that 
every  moment.  They  made  wheelbarrow  handles  of  my 
legs,  pushed  me  forward,  then  pulled  me  backward  and 
dragged  me  about  in  the  dirt  to  their  heart's  content.  I 
let  them  have  their  own  way  in  the  matter.  After  a  lit 
tle  they  stood  me  up  and  one  of  them  patted  me  on  the 
shoulder  and  said,  "Heap  good,  heap  good."  "Now," 
I  said,  ''you  have  had  your  fun,  come  with  me  to  the 
'Wickiup'  and  I  will  have  my  fun  out  of  you,"  and  they 
did.  During  the  talk  one  Indian  on  my  left  began  jerk 
ing  and  frothing  at  the  mouth.  He  proposed  to  break 
my  meeting  up.  I  took  hold  of  him  and  told  him  to  be 
quiet  as  this  was  my  meeting.  He  did  so. 

After  the  meeting  the  squaws  prepared  supper  which 
consisted  of  bread,  coffee  and  dog.  We  sat  down  on  our 
feet  and  one  Indian  said  to  me  in  broken  English,  "How 
you  like  um  dog?"  I  told  him  I  had  never  eaten  any. 
He  said,  "cut  piece  off  and  eat  um."  I  did.  Some  peo 
ple  have  asked  how  it  tasted;  I  said  it  tasted  like  dog  all 
1  could  tell.  About  dusk  we  had  another  meeting;  no 
lights,  Indians  sitting  on  the  ground  or  standing. 

After  the  meeting  I  told  them  I  was  tired.  Going 
to  a  tent  I  pulled  up  the  flap,  passed  to  the  right  of  the 


64  FORTY    YEARS 

fire  and  lay  down  on  the  west  side,  pulled  off  my  shoes 
and  tucked  them  under  my  head  for  a  pillow.  Just  as  I 
got  fairly  adjusted  a  big"  Indian  came  in  and  lay  down  on 
my  left,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  easy  another  came  and 
occupied  the  space  on  my  right.  So  it  went  until  the 
tent  was  full,  the  squaws  occupying  the  space  next  the 
flap.  Soon  all  were  asleep.  The  Red  man  does  not 
snore,  but  sleeps  easily  like  a  babe. 

Next  morning  the  Indian  on  my  left  arose,  wrapped 
his  blanket  about  him,  said  "ooh!  ooh!"  raised  the  flap, 
went  out  and  soon  came  back  with  an  arm  load  of  limbs, 
replenished  the  fire  and  soon  had  rny  feet  nice  and  warm. 
I  must  say  that  I  like  to  sleep  in  an  Indian  "wicke-up." 

John  Winney  and  myself  visited  among  the  different 
tribes  in  old  Oklahoma.  When  on  our  return  home  we 
had  to  sign  our  names  to  the  ticket  in  the  presence  of 
the  railroad  agent,  that  being  the  law  regarding  round 
trip  tickets  at  that  time,  John  took  hold  of  the  pen  like 
an  old  hand  and  signed  his  name  all  right,  although  he 
did  not  know  one  letter  from  another.  He  had  simply 
observed  others  while  they  were  writing  his  name  and 
imitated  the  writing  perfectly. 

When  the  Department  of  the  Interior  of  the  United 
States  was  in  need  of  information  regarding  Indian  af 
fairs,  John  Winney  was  sent  for  and  his  advice  was  al 
ways  heeded. 

During  one  of  the  visits  of  my  wife  and  myself  to 
the  Seneca  nation,  we  were  at  John  Winney's.  He  took 
me  out  to  the  barn  and  showed  me  a  handsomely  paint 
ed  cart,  saying:  "You  take  him."  I  told  him  I  had  no 
money  to  buy  a  cart.  To  this  he  replied  that  he  did  not 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS  65 

expect  any  money,  that  it  was  a  gift  to  me  because  he 
considered  me  to  be  his  best  friend. 

To  show  his  trust  in  Jesus,  he  said  that  he  had  been 
down  to  the  Cherokee  nation  and  in  passing-  over  a  hill 
the  Lord  had  said  to  him,  "Turn  to  the  right."  He  did 
so  and  soon  came  to  a  large  tree.  Under  this  tree  he 
knelt  down  to  pray.  While  praying  the  Lord  said  to 
him,  "Hold  meeting  here."  John  arose  and,  looking  off 
to  the  south,  saw  three  men.  He  walked  over  to  where 
they  were  and  told  them  he  was  going  to  get  Te  ya-me- 
da-ya,  (my  Indian  name),  and  hold  a  meeting  under  the 
big  tree  next  Sabbath,  and  for  them  to  tell  everyone 
whom  they  saw.  Then  John  came  and  told  me  of  the 
arrangement  he  had  made,  and  we  held  a  rousing  meet 
ing  under  that  tree  the  next  Sabbath  morning— over  two 
hundred  being  present  and  many  were  they  who  were 
blessed. 


Remarkable  Conversion  of  an  Indian 


JACK    ARMSTRONG 

Jack  Armstrong  was  a  noted  Indian  in  the  Seneca 
nation.  My  interpreter  told  me  it  would  not  do  to  say 
anything  to  Jack  about  Christianity  as  he  would  not 
stand  it.  I  asked  the  Lord  to  help  me  by  some  means 
to  reach  his  heart.  He  was  a  large,  fine  looking  man. 
As  my  interpreter  and  myself  were  going  along  the  road 
one  day  we  saw  Jack  off  in  the  woods.  He  was  a  great 
man  to  hunt  and  had  several  dogs  with  him.  I  called  him 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  67 

to  come  to  us  and  began  to  talk  to  him  through  my  in 
terpreter  about  his  dogs  and  he  became  quite  interested. 
When  I  got  him  up  to  the  right  pitch  I  told  him  we 
would  have  to  go,  but  would  be  back  the  next  day,  stop 
at  big  spring,  warm,  get  drink  and  like  to  see  Indians. 
He  said,  "Yes,  I  tell  um  come." 

When  we  returned  the  next  Sabbath  at  3  p.  m.  quite 
a  number  of  Indians  were  there.  I  had  instructed  my 
interpreter  to  follow  me  strictly.  I  began  by  saying: 
''One  time  good  man  he  live  in  the  world;  he  always 
do  good  to  somebody.  One  day  he  see  man,  one  hand 
all  drawn  up,  couldn't  use  it  at  all,  the  other  he  could 
use  like  anybody  else.  This  good  man  he  say,  'Like  to 
have  hand  good  like  the  other?'  Man  say,  'Yes,  wish  I 
could.'  This  good  man  say,  'Stretch  out  hand.'  He 
did  it.  Well,  all  well  now,  both  hands.  Good  man  he 
do  that,  Jack.  Jack  say  he  good  man.  Then  he  go 
along  road  and  see  blind  man  come.  Little  girl  lead 
blind  man.  Blind  man  say,  'I  want  be  made  see.' 
Good  man  spit  on  ground,  made  some  mud,  rub  it  all 
on  blind  man  eyes,  and  say,  'Go  over  to  the  pond  where 
water,  wash  good.  Little  girl  lead  him.  He  wash  good. 
Get  dirt  off  he  face.  He  look;  he  see!  O  how  glad  he 
be!  Little  girl,  Oh  so  glad!  Good  man  go  on.  Man 
come  run  to  him  and  say,  'My  little  girl  she  dead;  want 
you  come  to  my  house/  Good  man  go  to  his  house, 
take  little  girl  by  hand,  say,  get  up  little  girl.  Little 
girl  sit  up;  good  man  give  her  back  to  her  father  and 
mother,  who  so  glad  she  live  again.  This  good  man  al 
ways  helping  someone.  After  while  some  bad  men  come 
along,  take  good  man,  put  rope  on  him,  tie  cloth  over 


68  FORTY    YEARS 

his  eyes,  hit  him  in  face,  make  him  carry  big  piece  of 
wood  up  on  a  hill,  they  dig"  hole  in  ground,  take  one 
piece  wood,  lay  across  other,  lay  good  man  down  on  it, 
drive  big  nails  through  his  hands  and  feet.  Jack  said,  "I 
been  there  I  kill  bad  men  that  hurt  good  man;  I  kill  um, 
sure."  They  stood  this  cross  up  in  hole  in  ground  with 
good  man  nailed  to  it.  Oh  how  he  suffer.  Oh  how  it 
hurt.  He  there  all  afternoon  and  he  die.  Some  men 
come  take  good  man  down,  wrap  big  cloth  all  round  him, 
lay  him  in  grave.  After  three  days  he  come  to  life  again, 
come  out  of  grave,  walk  about,  people  see  him,  and 
.after  forty  days  a  lot  of  people  went  with  him  one  day 
he  just  went  up,  went  in  cloud  up  yonder;  so  now  he 
send  his  good  spirit  unto  all  hearts  that  love  him.  He 
in  Uncle  Nick's  heart;  he  in  my  heart;  he  talk  to  us. 
Does  Jack  want  good  spirit  come  live  in  his  heart?  He 
said  'yes.'  '  Then  I  knelt  down  with  him  and  prayed. 
Then  I  requested  Jack  to  pray,  which  he  did.  When  he 
arose  he  said,  "I  feel  like  feather;  I  fly  up."  The  Lord 
blessed  him  then  and  there  and  from  that  day  he  has 
never  faltered;  is  an  elder  in  the  Friends  church  and  as 
true  as  steel. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  69 

One  clay  a  number  of  years  ago  before  there  was  a 
law  regulating:  marriage  in  the  Indian  Territory,  I  was 
in  Seneca,  Mo.,  and  noticed  three  or  four  heavily  armed 
men,  but  thought  nothing  of  that  as  had  been  used  to  it 
so  long.  I  got  my  team  and  started  home  about  four 
o'clock.  I  got  to  the  upper  part  of  Seneca,  looked  back 
and  saw  the  men  coming.  I  turned  off  the  main  road 
and  started  up  the  hill  towards  home,  looked  back  and 
they  were  still  coming  and  closer  to  me.  Over  in  the 
edge  of  the  Territory  -there  was  a  small  prairie.  One  of 
the  men  rode  on  ahead  of  me,  got  off  his  horse,  stopped 
my  team  and  asked  if  I' was  Preacher  Hubbard.  I  said 
yes.  He  said  he  wanted  me  to  marry  that  couple  in  the 
huggy  and  ask  no  questions.  I  got  out  of  my  buggy, 
married  them,  gave  the  lady  a  certificate  and  the  man 
who  held  my  team  handed  me  a  five  dollar  bill  and  ask 
ed  me  if  that  would  satisfy  me?  I  told  him  it  would. 
This  man,  his  three  armed  companions  and  the  woman 
then  drove  away  in  the  buggy  and  that  was  the  last  seen 
of  them.  I  always  made  it  a  practice  to  carry  marriage 
certificates  with  me  and  keep  a  record  of  all  marriages. 
This  fact  has  been  the  means  of  adjusting  many  suits  in 
court  over  real  estate,  as  my  record  book  was  the  only 
available  evidence  of  the  marriage  relation  of  the  parties 

I  used  to  travel  in  this  country  in  a  two-horse  cart, 
and  by-the-by  there  were  but  three  two-horse  carts  in 
all  this  vast  country  at  that  time.  At  that  period  we 
had  no  bridges  or  ferry  boats.  There  are  a  number  of 
large  streams  in  this  section,  such  as  the  Neosho,  Spring 
River,  Cowskin  and  Grand  rivers.  Having  a  cart  it  was 
an  easy  matter,  if  we  found  the  water  too  deep,  to  turn 


7<D  FORTY    YEARS 

about  and  drive  out — a  buggy  would  lock  on  a  short 
turn  and  spill  its  occupants.  My  ponies  could  swim  like 
ducks.  An  editor  of  Seneca,  Missouri,  said  in  his  paper 
that  I  drove  two  spotted  ponies  and  one  of  them  was  a 
Methodist,  the  other  a  Campbellite.  He  said  the  Metho 
dist  would  swim  with  half  his  sides  out  of  the  water,  the 
Campbellite  just  stuck  his  head  out  and  the  Quaker  rode 
high  and  dry. 

I  never  wanted  a  gun  but  twice  in  all  my  travels  in 
this  wild  country.  Once  when  a  wild  hog  run  my  wife 
and  I  three  and  a  half  miles.  I  had  double  tires  on  my 
buggy  wheels,  my  ponies  were  fiery  and  I  told  my  wife 
as  long  as  the  wheels  held  up  we  were  all  right.  I  knew 
the  only  thing  to  do  was  to  run  him  down,  which  we 
finally  did.  The  other  time  to  kill  a  large  gray  wolf.  I 
was  in  the  cart  and  he  was  not  going  to  give  the  road. 
I  think  he  would  have  attacked  me  if  there  had  been  an 
other  with  him. 

During  the  early  days  in  this  country  there  were  a 
great  many  desperadoes.  I  have  had  them  come  to  my 
meetings  and  hold  their  guns  in  their  lap  all  during  the 
service.  I  believe  if  anyone  had  misbehaved  they  would 
have  shot  them  down  right  there.  They  always  treated 
me  very  nicely  and  I  did  them. 

Asher  Moot  came  to  my  place  a  number  of  years  ago 
and  wanted  to  go  down  to  Siloam  Springs,  Arkansas.  I 
told  him  I  would  go  with  him  and  we  started  the  next 
afternoon.  He  wanted  to  know  where  we  would  stay  all 
night  and  I  told  him  at  an  Indian  home  between  Buffalo 
and  Cowskin  rivers.  He  wanted  to  know  if  we  couldn't 
drive  faster  and  get  some  other  place  as  he  had  a  weak 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS  71 

stomach  and  he  couldn't  eat  at  the  Indian's.  I  told  him 
that  was  the  only  house  and  said.  ''If  I  can  eat  there 
thee  surely  can."  We  drove  up  to  the  home  and  asked 
the  woman  if  we  could  stay  all  night,  she  said  we  could. 
I  got  out,  unhitched  the  team  and  larietted  them  out 
while  Abner  walked  about  as  nervous  as  he  could  be. 
After  awhile  the  Indian  came  to  the  door  and  said,  "Ge- 
ah-ha."  That  means,  "come  and  eat."  I  went  in  ahead 
of  Abner  and  looked  back  to  see  how  he  acted.  When 
he  saw  the  table  he  brightened  up  as  the  woman  had  on 
a  white  tablecloth,  nice  biscuit,  fried  chicken,  butter  milk, 
preserves,  cake,  pie,  coffee  and  tea.  How  he  did  eat ! 
The  next  morning"  after  we  started  he  wanted  to  know  if 
we  couldn't  stay  all  night  there  on  our  return  trip.  "Oh," 
I  said,  "that  is  an  Indian  home,  and  thee  can't  eat  In 
dian  cooking."  He  said  it  was  the  best  supper  and 
breakfast  he  ever  ate,  and  he  always  liked  the  Indians 
after  that. 

One  time  as  I  was  coming  through  the  Creek  coun 
try  and  had  a  little  Indian  boy  in  the  hack  with  me.  Just 
as  we  got  out  of  the  timber  on  Salt  creek  we  heard  some 
one  yelling  as  loud  as  they  could,  looked  back  and  saw 
an  Indian  coming  on  the  run  and  yelling  every  jump. 
He  had  very  long  hair  that  was  flying  every  which  way, 
and  brandishing  a  pistol.  The  little  fellow  wanted  to 
run  but  I  said  no  we  would  wait  right  there.  I  turned 
and  sat  across  the  seat  to  watch  him  as  he  came  up. 
When  he  got  up  to  us  he  put  his  finger  into  the  muzzle 
of  his  gun  then  pomted  up  and  said,  "Bang,  bang!" 
then  handed  me  some  money  to  get  him  some  cartridg 
es.  He  could  not  speak  English.  We  got  the  cartridg 
es  for  him  and  sent  them  back  by  the  mail  carrier. 


Harry  and  Old  Sullivan 

Harry  is  our  youngest  living  child.  He  and  Joseph 
Tuttle,  son  of  Asa  and  Emeline  Tuttle,  are  the  only  liv 
ing  children  that  were  born  to  the  first  Missionaries.  We 
have  two  buried  in  the  Wyandotte  graveyard  and  Asa 
and  Emeline  have  three  in  the  Ottawa  graveyard. 

Sullivan  is  one  of  the  ponies  I  drove  for  many  years. 
He  was  only  three  years  old  when  broke.  He  had  a 
mate,  both  sorrels,  and  they  have  traveled  thousands  of 
miles  in  the  Master's  work.  The  mate  was  killed  by 
lightning  one  night  after  I  had  just  returned  from  Blue 
Jacket,  where  I  had  been  to  meeting.  I  had  a  span  of 
little  mules  which  I  called  David  and  Jonathan.  My 
two  boys  called  the  ponies  Pat  Ryan  and  John  Sullivan, 
after  the  two  prize  fighters.  Dr.  Kirk  said  the  boys 
thought  to  even  up.  Sullivan  is  still  living  and  was 
twenty-seven  years  old  last  February. 


MRS.  CLARA  McNAUGHTON 


Mrs.  Clara  McNaughton 

Mrs.  McNaughton  is  a  Peoria  Indian.  She  is  a 
member  of  the  first  church  organized  by  Friends  in  the 
Peoria  nation,  being  at  the  present  time  an  elder  of  the 
Miami  Monthly  Meeting  of  Miami,  Oklahoma.  She 
went  to  school  to  Elwood  Weesner  at  Peoria  school 
house,  who  in  after  years  went  to  Alaska  to  enter  the 
Missionary  field. 


BEN    LAWYER 


Ben  Lawver,  Modoc  Indian  Chief 

Ben  Lawver  is  a  Modoc  Indian,  one  of  the  Modoc 
children  when  the  tribe  was  taken  prisoners  in  the  fight 
in  the  Lava  Beds  of  Oregon.  He  was  brought  to  the 
Indian  Territory  when  they  were  sent  to  this  country 
under  the  agent,  Hiram  Jones  at  the  Quapaw  agency. 


JOHN    W.  GREYEYES 


John  W.  Greyeyes 


John  W.  Greyeyes  was  a  Wyandotte  Indian,  a  very 
smart  man;  could  speak  only  a  little  English.  He  was 
looked  upon  as  a  great  man  among  his  people  and  the 
government  had  great  respect  for  and  confidence  in  him. 
He  died  at  Wyandotte  some  years  ago. 


CATHERINE    JENISON 


Catherine  Jenison 

Catherine  Jenison  is  another  of  the  old  time  Ottawa 
tribe,  she  was  the  daughter  of  Judge  Wind,  chief  of  the 
tribe  some  thirty  years  ago.  He  was  a  good  man  and 
for  those  days  a  progressive  and  always  ready  to  do  any 
thing  for  the  betterment  of  his  people.  She  has  been 
married  twice  and  is  the  mother  of  fourteen  children,  all 
living  but  one.  Her  present  husband,  Walter  Jenison, 
is  a  white  man  from  Iowa.  She  was  one  of  the  charter 
members  of  the  Friends  church  under  the  care  of  Asa 
and  Emeline  Tuttle,  and  has  been  an  overseer  and  elder 
in  the  church;  was  a  granddaughter  of  Grandma  King 
that  lived  to  be  118  years  old,  (spoken  of  in  another 
part  of  this  book.) 

The  home  of  Watt  and  Catherine  was  always  open. 
The  latchstring  was  always  on  the  outside  of  the  door, 
for  no  matter  what  time  I  drove  in  I  always  found  a 
square  meal  and  a  good  bed.  I  often  look  back  on 
those  early  days  of  my  work  and  think  of  their  kindness 
to  me  as  one  of  the  bright  spots  of  my  life.. 


ANGEL  INK  LOTZ 


Angeline  Lotz 

Angelina  Lotz  is  another  one  of  whom  I  feel  that  my 
book  would  not  be  complete  without  a  word  of  praise 
for  her  good  works.  She  came  into  the  Indian  Territory 
about  twenty-five  years  ago  from  Kansas  City.  She 
was  placed  in  a  Quaker  Mission  while  yet  a  child  and 
when  she  found  the  Quakers  in  the  Territory  she  cast  in 
her  lot  with  them. 

She  and  her  husband,  Peter  Lotz,  settled  in  the  city 
of  Miami,  and  during  her  residence  there  she  was  a 
gifted  worker  for  the  Lord.  She  was  a  broad-minded 
woman.  She  assisted  all  alike,  and  no  worthy  object 
ever  appealed  to  her  in  vain.  While  she  loved  her  own 
church  she  was  not  sectarian.  She  held  many  positions 
•of  trust  in  the  Friends  church.  She  was  treasurer  until 
her  failing  health  compelled  her  to  relenquish  the  office. 
She  was  an  elder  and  also  a  trustee  during  her  life,  and 
to  the  pastor  and  his  wife  she  was  a  loving  and  helpful 
friend. 

I  will  give  a  bit  of  Ottawa  history  that  was  publish 
ed  in  her  obituary: 

OTTAWA    INDIAN     HISTORY 

A  slight  reminiscence  of  the  past  history  of  the  Ot 
tawa  tribe  and  the  clearing  up  of  the  age  of  the  oldest 
members  now  living  in  the  tribe  at  Ottawa,  Oklahoma. 

In  1832  Curtis  Robean,  a  Frenchman  and  fur  buyer, 
took  a  contract  from  the  government  to  move  the  Otta- 
was  of  Blanchard's  Fork  and  Rouche  De  Boufe,  consist 
ing  of  five  hundred  souls,  from  in  and  around  Toledo, 
Ohio,  to  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  They  were  moved 
from  Toledo  to  Dayton  by  wagon,  from  Dayton  to  Cin- 


84  FORTY    YEARS 

cinnatti  by  canal  and  from  there  to  Kansas  City  by 
steamboat,  from  the  latter  place  to  a  point  on  the  Marias 
Des  Cygne  where  the  city  of  Ottawa  is  now.  The  sole 
surviver  of  the  original  five  hundred,  who  at  that  time 
was  seven  years  old,  is  Joseph  King-.  Angeline  Lotz 
was  then  ten  years  old  and  at  the  time  of  her  death 
nearly  ninety  years  old.  The  mother  of  Angeline  died, 
also  the  father  of  Joseph  King  leaving  him  and  a  sister, 
Lucy,  in  the  care  of  an  old  Quaker  lady,  who  sent  them 
to  a  Quaker  mission  school.  When  they  were  nearly 
grown  Angeline  Lotz  went  to  Cincinnatti,  Ohio,  and 
Lucy  to  Chicago,  Illinois.  For  nearly  forty  years  their 
identity  was  lost  to  the  tribe.  They  married  in  their 
respective  cities.  Mrs.  Lotz  raised  a  family  of  nine 
children.  Lucy  King  married  a  railroad  man  and  lived 
in  affluence  all  her  life.  She  had  one  son.  Just  before 
the  allotment  a  delegation  was  sent  to  Washington 
among  whom  was  John  W.  Early  and  Joseph  King. 
The  names  of  these  two  men  and  their  mission  were  dis 
covered  in  the  newspapers  at  the  time,  a  correspondence 
was  started  with  the  result  that  these  two  lost  daughters 
of  the  tribe  were  restored  to  their  people. 

Joseph  King  is  the  sole  surviver  of  the  original  five 
hundred.  He  says  he  is  eighty-seven  years  old,  which 
would  make  him  Angeline's  junior  by  about  three  years. 

W.  C.  JENISON. 


SMITH  NICHOLS,  84  YEARS  OLD,  HAS  KILLED  MORE 
DEER  THAN  ANY  MAN  Now  ALIVE 


GEORGE  VV.  FINLEY 


George  W.  Finley 

George  Finley  was  born  about  the  year  1858  in  Kan 
sas  and  came  to  the  Indian  Territory  in  1868.  He  is  a 
Pankeshaw  Indian  and  his  name  is  To-wah-quah  Ke- 
non-quah — George  W.  Finley. 


JACK  ARMSTRONG  OF  TODAY 


Memorial  of  Frank  Modoc 

The  Modoc  tribe  of  North  American  Indians  is  an 
offshoot  of  the  Klamaths,  and  the  two  tribes  held  pos 
session  of  a  larg-e  tract  of  country,  partly  in  northern 
California  and  partly  in  Southern  Oregon  until  1864. 
As  early  as  1850  troubles  occurred  between  these  Indians 
and  white  immigrants,  and  many  were  killed  on  both 
sides.  In  1864  the  government  made  a  treaty  with  these 
Indians,  in  which  the  latter  surrendered  all  the  country 
claimed  by  them  except  a  small  portion  in  Southern 
Oregon,  since  known  as  the  Klamath  reservation.  This 
being  4,600  feet  above  sea  level,  and  in  the  close  neigh 
borhood  of  high  mountains,  was  subject  to  frost  every 
month  in  the  year,  and  therefore  entirely  unsuited  to  ag 
riculture.  The  Modocs  had  been  living  in  the  valley  of 
Lost  River,  about  fiftv  miles  further  south,  and  were  ac 
customed  to  raising  some  produce,  and  keenly  felt  the 
difficulties  of  their  new  location.  Moreover,  the  Kla 
maths,  much  superior  in  numbers,  were  exceedingly 
overbearing  and  oppressive  to  the  Modocs,  who  received 
little  or  no  protection  from  the  agent  in  charge.  Under 
these  circumstances  a  portion  of  them,  (Captain  Jack's 
band),  left  the  Klamath  reservation  and  returned  to 
their  old  home  in  the  Lost  River  Valley.  This  had 
already  been  largely  taken  possession  of  by  white  peo 
ple,  and  so  these  Indians  and  the  whites  began  to  have 


QO  FORTY    YEARS 

trouble.  The  government,  in  the  autumn  of  1872,  sent 
soldiers  to  effect  the  return  of  the  band  to  the  Klamath 
reservation.  A  conflict  ensued  in  which  the  settlers  took 
part  with  the  soldiers  against  the  Indians.  The  latter 
retreated  to  the  lava  beds,  in  the  subterranean  passages 
of  which  they  were  practically  safe  for  a  long  time,  though 
attacked  by  the  United  States  forces  under  General  Can- 
by.  In  the  meantime  the  secretary  of  the  interior  sent  a 
commission  to  settle  the  difficulty  with  the  Indians,  con 
sisting  of  A.  B.  Meacham  (formerly  superintendent  of 
Indian  affairs  for  Oregon,  who  had  been  on  friendly 
terms  with  these  Indians),  L.  S.  Dyar,  agent  at  the  Kla 
math  Agency  and  Dr.  E.  Thomas,  'a  minister  of  the 
Methodist  church.  This  commission,  however,  was  put 
under  the  direction  of  General  Canby  and  could  only 
present  such  terms  as  might  be  approved  by  him  or  his 
department.  Negotiations  were  attempted,  but  Capt. 
Jack  would  listen  to  no  terms  of  surrender  unless  he 
could  have  a  home  for  his  people  on  Lost  River,  as  he 
was  sure  they  could  never  live  with  the  Klamaths  upon 
the  reservation.  Notwithstanding  this  positive  assur 
ance  and  repeated  evidences  that  any  further  attempts  at 
pressing  an  unconditional  surrender  upon  the  Indians 
would  be  met  by  them  with  treachery,  General  Canby 
and  Dr.  Thomas  overruled  the  objections  of  Commis 
sioners  Meacham  and  Dyar,  and  arranged  for  another 
interview.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  did  so  with 
the  sincere  desire  of  effecting  an  amicable  settlement,  by 
prevailing  upon  the  Indians  to  yield — a  result  which 
their  colleagues,  Meacham  and  Dyar,  more  experienced 
in  Indian  character,  were  sure  would  not  be  accomplish- 


AMONG  THE    INDIANS  QI 

ed,  for  they  had  become  satisfied  that  the  Indians  had 
reached  that  point  of  desperation  in  which  they  determ 
ined  that  they  would  die  where  they  were  unless  they 
received  guaranties  that  their  lives  would  be  spared  and 
a  suitable  home  given  them  upon  their  surrender.  The 
result  of  the  meeting"  was  the  murder  of  General  Canby 
and  Dr.  Thomas,  while  Commissioner  Meacham  receiv 
ed  wounds  almost  fatal.  This  atrocious  violation  of  the 
flag  of  truce  has  no  justification  whatever,  but  it  excus 
es  itself  to  the  minds  of  these  Indians  as  they  thought 
upon  the  same  atrocity  inflicted  upon  their  own  people 
twenty-one  years  before  when  the  notorious  Ben  Wright 
and  his  company  of  volunteers,  arranged  for  a  "peace 
talk"  with  the  Modoc  warriors  and  murdered  over  forty 
of  them. 

After  seven  months  of  fighting,  and  by  calling  in  the 
aid  of  the  Warm  Springs  Indians,  Captain  Jack  and  his 
company  were  subdued.  He  and  three  of  his  principal 
men  were  courtmartialed  and  executed,  and  the  remain 
der  transferred  to  the  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian  Territory. 

Such  was  the  character  of  those  152  human  beings, 
moulded  by  generations  of  barbarism  and  driven  to  des 
peration  by  the  peculiarly  aggrevating  circumstances  of 
later  years,  when  the  light  of  the  Gospel  dawned  upon 
them  in  their  new  home.  Their  heathen  darkness  began 
to  move  away  as  mist  before  the  sun.  Their  hardness  of 
heart  yielded  to  the  softening  influences  of  a  practical 
Christian  love  which  met  them  with  kindness  and  good 
deeds.  The  hungry  were  fed,  the  naked  were  clothed. 
The  sick  were  ministered  unto.  Their  children  were  tak 
en  into  school;  even  their  adults  were  taught  to  read. 


Q2  FORTY    YEARS 

Homes  were  made  for  them;  the  sod  was  broken  and 
they  were  encouraged  to  plant.  Hope  sprang"  up  in  their 
hearts,  and  an  abundant  entrance  was  given  to  them  into 

the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ. 

See  Report  of  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs  and  accomp 
anying  documents,  Volumes  for  1872-3,  and  subsequently. 

FRANK    MODOC 

Frank  Modoc  was  born  on  Butte  Creek,  Siskiyon 
county,  California,  in  1846,  of  Modoc  parents  who  died 
soon  after  his.  birth,  leaving  him  an  orphan  without  rel 
atives,  a  wafe  blown  about  from  one  camp  to  another, 
until  he  was  adopted  by  an  Indian  maiden  of  seventeen. 
This  maiden  was  gifted  with  a  voice  of  extraordinary 
compass.  From  this  fact  she  was  called  by  her  people, 
''Steamboat."  She  was  a  woman  of  considerable  abil 
ity  and  seems  to  have  taken  great  pains  with  the  little 
orphan.  She  named  him  Frank,  hence  he  has  always 
been  known  as  "Steamboat  Frank."  When  he  had  at 
tained  to  the  age  of  fifteen  years  "Steamboat"  adopted 
him  as  her  husband  according  to  the  usual  ceremonies 
of  the  tribe.  Frank  very  early  espoused  the  cause  of 
Captain  Jack,  and  was  ambitious  to  become  a  white  man. 
He  cherished  the  memory  of  Steamboat,  his  first  wife, 
very  sacredly  for  many  years  after  her  death,  and  then 
married  Alice  Modoc,  a  woman  of  good  mind  and  earn 
est  spirit,  who  came  to  the  Quapaw  agency  with  him, 
and  was  a  faithful  companion  to  him  until  her  death  in 
first  month,  1884. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Modoc  prisoners  at  Baxter 
Springs,  in  the  fall  of  1873,  the  whole  tribe  came  at  once 
under  the  kindly  notice  of  Asa  and  Emeline  Tuttle,  who 
at  that  time  were  largely  interested  in  missionary  and 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  Q3 

school  work  in  the  Quapaw  agency,  and  through  their 
influence,  and  the  persistent  help  of  Hiram  Jones,  agent 
in  charge,  he  with  others  of  his  tribe  became  acquainted 
with  white  men's  ways,  and  very  soon  opened  his  heart 
to  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  encouraging  his  brethren  and 
sisters  to  accept  Christ  as  their  Savior  and  true  friend 
under  all  circumstances. 

His  good  judgment  and  industry  also  gave  him  in 
fluence  with  all  classes  of  men.  and  his  word  was  taken 
by  them  as  always  reliable.  As  he  had  known  the  way 
of  the  sinner  to  be  hard,  when  he  came  to  the  Gospel  he 
gave  up  all,  leaving  off  both  whisky  and  tobacco,  and 
in  a  great  measure  influencing  the  tribe  to  do  the  same. 
Some  of  these  returned  to  these  habits  again,  he,  how 
ever,  never  wavered,  and  in  the  temperance  cause  was  a 
valiant  speaker,  as  the  following  from  a  speech  at  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  will  show.  In  the  fifth  month,  1882,  he 
and  his  son,  El  wood,  accompanied  by  his  former  teach 
er,  Ira  D.  Kellogg,  received  endorsements  from  his 
Monthly  and  Quarterly  Meeting,  and  the  United  States 
Indian  agent,  D.  B.  Dyar,  releasing  him  to  service  in 
the  State  of  Iowa,  for  the  then  pending  Constitutional 
Amendment. 

Arriving  in  Iowa,  he  secured  a  recommendation  from 
Frances  E.  Willard  to  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  of  the  State  of 
Iowa,  and  labored  under  their  auspices,  visiting  some  of 
the  principle  towns  and  cities. 

His  arguments  were  pointed  and  convincing.  At  Des 
Moines  he  occupied  the  rostrum  with  Frances  E.  Wil 
lard,  and  said,  "Friends  of  God  and  humanity,  you  won 
der,  perhaps,  that  an  Indian  should  come  to  this  great 


Q4  FORTY    YEARS 

State  of  Iowa  to  teach  you  morals  and  tell  you  how  to 
vote.  That  is  not  my  mission.  But  when  I  came  into 
your  State,  I  remembered  Asa  and  Emeline  Tuttle,  two 
of  God's  children,  and  your  former  citizens,  who  had 
been  used  of  God  to  open  the  blind  eyes  of  the  Modoc 
to  see  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  to  lead  us  from  sin, 
drunkenness  and  degradation  to  lives  of  sobriety  and 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  I  prayed  God  that 
I  might  be  used  of  Him  to  pay  you  back,  in  at  least  a 
small  degree,  for  the  great  things  you  did  for  us  through 
your  workers.  As  I  pass  up  the  streets  of  your  towns, 
Lsee  on  one  side  churches,  school  houses,  and  busy  mills. 
On  the  other  side  I  see  the  open  saloon,  protected  by 
law,  State  and  National,  and  1  understand  something  of 
the  contest  before  you.  I  came  to  help  you  who  are  on 
this  side  of  the  street,  where  you  will  find  all  the  good, 
true  men  and  women  of  Iowa,  and  with  God's  assistance 
the  saloons  on  that  side  will  disappear.  This  great  Na 
tion  says  no  man  shall  sell  intoxicating  liquors  to  my 
boy.  Is  it  possible  that  the  Government  don't  think  as 
much  of  the  boys  of  Iowa  as  it  does  those  of  the  Indian 
Territory?,  Why  not  protect  the  boys  by  taking  away 
the  open  den  of  the  tempter?  I  can,  it  seems  to  me, 
hear  the  chains  rattling  and  clanging  of  those  in  bondage 
to  Satan.  Oh!  may  God  help  you  to  break  those  chains 
and  set  the  captives  free  by  closing  the  saloon  doors  of 
this  grand  and  beautiful  State.  Vote  for  Constitutional 
Amendment.  Amen." 

This  short  address  was  received  with  deep  feeling  as 
to  its  truth,  and  is  a  sample  of  his  apt  illustrations  and 
force  of  character. 


AMONG  THE    INDIANS  QS 

By  his  industry  and  economy  he  erected  a  very  com 
fortable  house  and  good  barn,  wagon-shed,  corn-crib, 
etc.,  the  government  furnishing  the  hardware  and  a  car 
penter  to  assist  him.  In  the  year  1880  he  and  his  wife 
and  their  only  surviving  son,  Elwood,  were  received 
into  membership  with  Friends.  His  fidelity  and  sym 
pathy  toward  his  wife  in  her  last  sickness  was  especially 
marked,  owing  to  her  protracted  illness  with  consump 
tion.  Her  appetite  seemed  to  need  something  that  we 
could  not  get  in  the  Territory,  the  streams  being  frozen 
over.  One  day  she  said  to  Frank,  "if  only  I  could  have 
some  fresh  fish,  like  in  our  old  home  in  Oregon."  With 
out  further  ado  he  hastened  to  the  nearest  town  having 
railroad  connection  with  St.  Louis,  and  telegraphed  the 
express  company  to  send  out  fresh  fish,  which  came  the 
next  day.  Few  white  men  would  have  thought  they 
could  have  done  so,  with  as  small  amount  of  funds  as  he 
possessed.  His  faithfulness  in  attendance  of  meeting, 
both  at  home  and  away,  will  be  remembered  by  many, 
and  his  humility  in  speaking  for  his  Master,  so  very 
precious  to  his  soul. 

In  fifth  month,  1884,  his  gift  in  the  ministry  was  ac 
knowledged  by  Spring  River  Quarterly  Meeting  of  Min 
istry  and  Oversight,  and  approved  by  Grand  River 
Monthly  Meeting,  Indian  Territory,  he  being  the  first 
full-blood  American  Indian  ever  recorded  as  minister  of 
the  gospel  in  the.  Society  of  Friends. 

The  government  giving  permission  for  him  to  leave 
his  home  at  Modoc,  the  following  Minute  was  granted 
him  by  his  Monthly  Meeting: 

"Our  beloved  Brother,  Steamboat  Frank,  a  minister 


96  FORTY    YEARS 

of  the  gospel  with  whom  we  have  unity,  laid  before  this 
Meeting-  a  prospect  he  had  of  visiting,  in  the  love  of  the 
gospel,  his  brethren  in  Oregon,  at  Klamath  Agency, 
and  other  places  in  that  country.  After  due  considera 
tion  the  Meeting  expressed  unity  and  sympathy  with, 
and  offer  him  our  prayers,  bidding  him  God's  speed  in 
his  work,  committing  him  to  the  Heavenly  Father's  care 
and  guidance,  and  commending  him  to  the  children  of 
God  wherever  he  may  come. 

*  'Taken  from  the  Minutes  of  Grand  River  Monthly 
Meeting  of  the  religious  Society  of  Friends,  held  at  Sen 
eca  Reserve,  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian  Territory,  sixth 
month,  28th,  1884. 

CHARLES  W.  KIRK, 
LUCY  A.  WINNEY, 

Clerks. 

"NICHOLAS  COTTER,  Correspondent,  Grand  River 
Postoffice,  Indian  Territory." 

His  visit  to  Oregon  proved  a  great  blessing  to  his 
people  there,  and  his  stay  of  three  months  gave  recruit 
to  his  own  health.  The  dairy  which  he  kept  of  every 
day's  service  is  too  voluminous  for  insertion,  but  it  may 
truly  be  considered  a  record  of  honest-hearted,  faithful 
service  to  a  loving  Master.  After  our  brother's  return  a 
hearty  welcome  was  given  him  by  his  own  people,  as  he 
met  them,  after  such  a  visit  to  the  home  of  their  child 
hood,  from  which  the  cruel  hand  of  war  had  robbed 
them;  but  he  talked  to  them  not  of  their  hard  fate  in  war, 
but  of  the  beauties  and  joys  of  a  Savior's  love,  some 
times  saying  to  them,  "I  leave  all  those  old  things,  I 
have  a  new  life  now  in  my  loving  Savior  Jesus,"  describ- 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  97 

ing-  to  them  at  times,  with  great  power,  the  glories  of 
that  home  above,  to  which  some  of  their  dear  ones  had 
gone  before. 

Near  the  close  of  the  year  1884,  one  day,  whilst  at 
the  Mission  Home,  he  expressed  that  he  could  under 
stand  the  plan  of  salvation  for  himself,  but  he  found  in 
speaking  to  his  people  that  he  did  not  fully  comprehend 
the  meaning  of  all  words  in  English  so  as  to  give  the 
correct  interpretation  to  them,  and  asked  if  any  way 
could  be  opened  for  him  to  get  more  education.  His 
friends  thought  something  should  be  done  in  the  case. 
Very  soon  Mary  Morrell,  of  New  England  Yearly  Meet 
ing,  came  in  on  a  visit,  and  the  subject  was  mentioned 
to  her.  After  having  become  acquainted  with  Frank, 
she  expressed  her  conviction  that  it  was  of  the  Lord,  and 
spoke  of  Oak  Grove  Seminary,  Maine,  as  a  good  school 
for  him  to  attend. 

Accordingly  arrangements  were  begun  at  once,  con 
sent  of  the  government  'obtained,  and  the  Indian  com 
missioner  changed  his  name  to  Frank  Modoc,  On  the 
ninth  of  Fourth  month,  1885,  after  having  settled  all  his 
outward  affairs  satisfactorily,  he  obtained  a  minute  of 
encouragement  and  sympathy  from  his  Monthly  Meet 
ing,  giving  a  loving  farewell  to  his  own  people  and  many 
friends,  he  took  what  proved  a  final  farewell  to  his  home, 
and  only  son,  and  entered  the  school  above  mentioned. 

Of  his  success  whilst  there  a  few  extracts  may  be 
noted.  In  writing  to  his  friends,  J.  M.  and  Eliza  T. 
Watson,  he  says:  "Charles  H.  Jones  and  wife  so  very 
kind  to  me;  feed  me  and  care  for  me  just  like  a  little 
lamb,  and  I  love  the  school  and  meeting  all  the  time; 


98  FORTY    YEARS 

learning  not  only  in  my  books,  but  about  my  Heavenly 
Father's  love."  His  letters  to  his  people  always  breath 
ed  a  fervent,  earnest  love  for  them.  One  time  one  of  the 
head  men  complained  to  him  in  a  letter,  that  he  did  not 
get  along  very  well,  and  did  not  like  some  people. 
Frank  replied,  "If  he  trusted  his  Heavenly  Father  all 
would  go  well;  but  the  Scripture  did  not  promise  any 
thing  to  a  man  unless  he  held  out  faithfully."  After 
spending  something  over  a  year  at  school,  his  health 
failed  and  he  came  to  the  home  of  his  friends,  John  J. 
and  Myra  E.  Frye,  Portland,  Maine.  He  intended  to 
leave  for  his  home  immediately  after  New  England 
Yearly  Meeting. 

We  can  not  better  describe  his  last  days  than  by  giv 
ing  Myra  E.  Frye's  own  words:  "Our  late  dear  broth 
er,  Frank,  came  to  our  home  the  twenty-second  of  fifth 
month,  had  started  on  his  journey  to  the  Territory,  but, 
oh,  so  feeble;  yet  so  happy  in  Jesus,  Change  of  food 
and  scene  seemed  to  brighten  him  up  for  a  few  days. 
But  the  disease  was  steadily  working  on  his  poor  body. 
We  called  our  family  physician,  and  he  examined  his 
lungs,  and  said  his  left  lung  was  all  gone,  that  he  could 
not  get  well,  but  might  live  several  months.  Frank  said 
he  was  almost  as  low  before  he  went  to  Oregon,  and  re 
turned  much  improved.  We  got  well  acquainted  with 
him  and  learned  much  of  his  people.  He  loved  them, 
and  wanted  me  to  ask  Friends  to  help  them  go  back  to 
their  old  home,  for  they  were  fast  dying  away  where 
they  now  live;  and  their  being  held  prisoners  of  war 
troubled  him.  He  did  not  give  up  going  to  Yearly 
Meeting  until  Second-day  before  he  died,  on  Seventh- 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  QQ 

day,  but  wanted  us  to  go  and  do  what  we  could  for  his 
people.  He  was  always  so  patient,  and  his  trust  was  in 
Christ  his  Savior,  often  replying1,  when  asked  how  he 
was,  "I  very  well,  but  my  body  very  weak."  For  all 
there  was  so  much  sorrow  mingled  with  it,  I  am  glad 
the  last  weeks  of  his  life  were  spent  with  us;  glad  that  it 
was  our  privilege  to  watch  and  comfort  our  dear  brother 
during  his  last  hours  on  earth.  We  all  loved  him,  ser 
vants  and  all;  my  little  girl  was  very  fond  of  him.  On 
Fourth-day  his  mind  was  very  clear,  and  he  seemed 
much  better;  talked  about  his  people,  dictated  a  letter  to 
his  son  at  White's  Institute,  Wabash,  Indiana,  and  talk 
ed  of  starting  for  the  Territory  the  next  week.  He  was 
not  well  enough  to  go  after  he  came  to  our  home.  He 
died  suddenly,  on  Twelfth-day  Sixth  month,  1886,  with 
a  perfect  trust  in  Jesus,  often  repeating  his  name.  Those 
who  waited  on  him  at  the  last,  said:  'No  white  man 
could  have  witnessed  more  for  Jesus  in  his  perfect  trust 
for  Him  while  suffering  in  the  body.'  The  funeral  was 
at  Friends  meeting-house,  Fifteenth-day,  at  2:30  p.  m., 
and  he  was  buried  in  the  burying  lot  belonging  to 
Friends,  just  back  of  the  meeting-house.  All  was  done 
for  him  that  could  be  done.  His  casket  was  a  beautiful 
one,  and  he  was  laid  out  with  as  much  care  and  tender 
ness  as  any  Friend  in  New  England, 

"A.  C.  Tuttle  and  my  husband  attended  the  funeral 
at  Deering,  and  E.  H.  Tuttle  and  myself  attended  the 
memorial  service  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  at  the  same 
hour  of  the  funeral  at  Deering.  This  memorial  meeting 
was  appointed  by  the  Yearly  Meeting,  at  the  request  of 
the  Indian  committee,  and  was  attended  by  400  or  500 


IOO 


FORTY    YEARS 


persons.     Thus  passed  away  one  saved  by  grace,  and  re 
deemed  alone  through  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus." 

The  foregoing  was  read  in  Grand  River  Monthly 
Meeting,  and  directed  to  be  forwarded  to  the  committee 
appointed  by  Spring  River  Quarterly  Meeting. 

Taken  from  the  minutes  of  Grand  River  Monthly 
Meeting,  held  gth  month.  25th,  1886. 

JOHN  M.  WATSON, 
LUCY  A.  WINNEY,  Clerks. 

A  part  of  the  committee  appointed  by  Spring  River 
Quarterly  Meeting,  to  examine  this  memorial,  have  ex 
amined  the  same,  do  now  forward  it  to  the  Representa 
tive  Meeting  for  their  action. 

LIZZIE  K.  WILSON, 
AARON  M,  BRAY, 
MARY  JANNEY, 
LIZZIE  SHIELDS. 


Origin  of  Seneca  Indian  Pagan  Prophet 

-Once  upon  a  time  a  Pagan  Prophet  lived  in  the  now 
State  of  New  York,  named  "Skaw-nyah-ti-e-yuh." 

The  history  from  a  long,  lingering-  spell  of  sickness 
in  which  he  was  supposed  to  have  died  and  afterwards 
revived,  is  the  foundation  which  has  been  handed  down 
to  the  present  time.  He  was  sick  four  years,  the  last 
year  being  confined  to  his  bed  entirely  prostrated,  when 
four  angels  visited  him,  giving  him  medicine,  command 
ing  him  to  get  up  and  go  with  them  and  they  would 
show  him  the  beautiful  country,  Heaven. 

He  got  up  as  commanded,  went  to  the  door,  being 
in  the  spring  of  the  year,  his  wife  and  daughters  were  in 
front  of  the  door  assorting  their  beans  for  planting. 
When  he  appeared  his  daughters  jumped  up  and  caught 
him  for  fear  of  his  falling,  for  he  had  wasted  away  to 
nothing  but  skin  and  bones.  The  daughters  helped  him 
back  to  bed,  where  he  expired  to  all  appearances.  Word 
was  circulated  that  he  was  dead.  When  his  one  brother 
arrived  he  began  preparations  for  burial  when  a  neigh 
bor  interfered,  said  it  would  be  better  to  wait  as  there 
was  still  heat  in  the  breast,  but  they  failed  to  discern  any 
breath  each  day.  He  lay  in  this  condition  until  the 
fourth  day  when  the  angels  brought  him  back,  that  is 
he  revived  just  like  one  awakening  from  a  sleep.  He  was 
commanded  by  the  angels  to  call  all  the  people  together 
and  tell  them  where  he  had  been  and  what  he  had  seen. 


IO2  FORTY    YEARS 

So  ''Skaw-nyah-ti-e-yuh"  gave  out  word  that  in  four 
days  he  would  meet  them,  very  early  in  the  morning-,  to 
tell  them  great  things,  and  wanted  every  one  to  be 
there. 

The  meeting  place  was  at  the  long  house,  (their 
dance  house),  so-called  for  its  length,  a  narrow  building 
with  a  ground  floor,  narrow  for  its  length.  In  olden 
times  the  dimensions  were  usually  25x100  feet  or  more, 
so  that  it  contained  five  fires  several  feet  apart  along 
the  central  line.  Accordingly  on  the  day  set  a  multi 
tude  of  people  had  gathered.  "Skaw-nyah-ti-e-yuh" 
appeared  occupying  the  middle  of  the  floor  to  the  people. 
He  said  he  had  been  to  heaven  and  to  the  regions  be 
low,  for  the  angels  had  shown  him  that  place  also,  and 
what  manner  of  people  they  should  be  if  they  went  to 
heaven.  Witches,  liars,  tale-bearers,  adulteress,  barren 
ness  could  not  enter  there,  but  the  latter  class  could  get 
admittance  by  adopting  and  raising  an  orphan.  He 
then  adjourned  the  meeting  until  he  should  consult  with 
the  angels  again  what  more  to  say  to  them  After  a 
time  the  people  were  again  called  together;  this  time  he 
was  commanded  to  take  twelve  men  to  accompany  him 
as  he  must  needs  go  from  tribe  to  tribe  to  tell  what  had 
happened  to  him,  what  he  had  seen.  The  whole  of  his 
speech  has  not  been  given  but  he  was  unable  to  finish 
the  first  morning  of  the  second  meeting;  adjourned  at 
noon;  would  not  speak  in  the  after  part  of  the  day  as  he 
said  that  was  the  devils  time  and  he  would  be  busy  then. 

By  the  prophet's  request  the  people  assembled  again 
the  next  morning,  it  was  then  he  chose  his  twelve  fol 
lowers.  • 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS  IO3 

After  they  had  traveled  awhile,  he  preaching  (as  it  is 
called),  apart,  the  twelve  became  dissatisfied  with  their 
leader,  "Skaw-nyah-ti-e-yuh."  They  did  not  think  his 
practice  was  as  clear  as  his  preaching,  (his  deeds  being- 
somewhat  in  the  shade).  If  it  was  wrong  for  the  people 
to  do  some  things  it  was  equally  wrong  for  him  to  do 
the  same.  His  followers  took  it  upon  themselves  to  re 
monstrate  with  him,  but  he  said  the  angels  had  told  him 
it  would  be  all  right  for  him  to  have  two  wives  because 
he  needed  more  care  than  one  wife  was  able  to  give  him 
and,  as  he  had  frequent  talks  with  the  angels,  he  did 
nothing  without  first  consulting  with  them,  This  expla 
nation  did  not  suffice  and  six  of  the  band  dropped  off, 
the  others  remaining  faithful  to  him. 

As  a  rule  he  told  the  day  when  he  would  see  his  ad 
visers  again,  and  for  the  people  to  come  together  the 
next  day.  The  deserters  were  now  anxious  to  know 
something  of  these  "angel  visitations,"  secretly  engaged 
three  trusty  young  men  to  follow  him,  which  they  did, 
but  failed  to  see  anything  but  the  prophet  and  a  large 
tree  that  he  seemed  to  be  talking  too.  They  went  the 
second  time  and  still  they  failed  to  see  anything.  The 
third  time  they  had  dug  a  trench  behind  a  log  that  lay 
closeby  with  a  covering  ready  to  conceal  themselves  in, 
so  were  in  their  trench  when  he  came.  As  usual,  he 
looked  up  the  tree,  then  down  on  the  ground,  talking  all 
the  while.  The  young  men  were  watching  through  the 
small  opening  they  had  left  for  the  purpose  for  they  were 
bent  on  seeing  the  angels,  when  lo !  a  black  snake  arose, 
nearly  four  feet  high,  showing  a  forked  tongue.  They 
could  hear  an  audible  voice  but  could  distinguish  no 


IO4  FORTY    YEARS 

words.  So  it  was  the  old  serpent  himself,  the  deceiver 
of  mankind.  After  the  exposure,  although  it  was  not 
made  publicly,  the  prophet  became  a  maniac;  had  to  be 
bound,  and  wherever  he  could  had  bitten  the  flesh  off  of 
himself,  so  thus  he  died.  The  band  of  six  cared  for  him 
unto  the  last.  They  would  let  no  one  see  him  after  he 
lost  his  mind,  but  just  before  death  he  came  to  himself, 
said,  ''I  am  going  to  the  devil."  He  was  buried  mid 
way  in  the  long  house  where  his  grave  was  kept  fresh, 
and  the  Indians  danced  around  it  at  their  usual  gather 
ings. 

The  place  is  near  Syracuse,  New  York,  This  is  not 
given  in  full  but  just  enough  to  show  who  and  what  the 
"Pagan  Leader"  was.  The  foregoing  was  obtained  dur 
ing  my  trip  among  the  six  nation  of  Indians  in  the  State 
of  New  York  in  1871,  from  two  men  almost  centenari 
ans,  one  nearly  blind,  gave  the  recital  with  the  request 
that  I  should  not  repeat  it  to  the  Indians  at  that  time 
and  place.  They  said  they  would  be  considered  traitors 
if  it  were  known  they  had  given  "Skaw-nyah-ti-e-yuh" 
away,  and  would  be  in  danger,  for  only  a  few  have  ever 
been  in  possession  of  these  facts.  The  mass  have  not 
known  of  the  fraud,  and  "Skaw-nyah-ti-e-yuh"  was  held 
up  as  the  Indian's  Lord  and  Christ  was  the  white  man's 
Lord.  I  did  not  hear  of  Christ  when  1  was  young,  but 
had  heard  of  this  prophet.  We  were  always  preached  to 
about  him  at  our  feasts  and  dances,  and  I  had  heard  my 
great  grandmother  tell  the  other  side  in  very  nearly  the 
same  words  as  we  have  it  here  which  caused  me  to  make 
inquiry  for  my  own  satisfaction.  I  have  helped  in  this 
false  way,  believing  that  was  the  only  way  for  an  Indi 
an,  because  a  man  that  could  speak  with  angels  had  so 
taught,  but  the  matter  has  been  sifted  through  and  there 
is  nothing  in  it  but  darkness  to  all,  I  am  out  of  it.  He 
who  is  Lord  over  all  is  my  light.  I  believe  in  him  alone. 
Give  me  the  story  of  Christ,  and  I  ask  an  interest  in  the 
prayers  of  all  Christians  who  may  chance  to  read  this. 
— JOHN  A.  WINNEY,  Ouray,  Indian  Territory. 


The  Indians  the  Lost  Tribe  of  Israel 

It  has  been  a  puzzle  to  many  people  as  to  where  the 
Indians  came  from  to  this  country.  I  have  many  reas 
ons  gathered  from  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  In 
dians,  also  from  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  to  con 
vince  me  fully  that  they  are  descendants  of  the  lost  tribe 
of  Israel.  About  the  last  that  could  be  heard  of  this 
tribe  they  were  traveling-  northeast  in  Asia.  A  part  of 
the  children  of  Israel  returned,  but  a  great  majority  of 
them  never  did. 

The  Indians  have  a  tradition  that  they  came  to  this 
country  across  ice.  At  that  early  date  Behring  Strait 
could  not  have  been  over  three  hundred  yards  wide. 

Another  reason  is  that  they  look  very  much  like  the 
old  Israelites.  Another  is  that  the  Indians  at  one  period 
in  their  history  were  known  as  Moses;  also  one  section 
of  the  tribes  were  known  as  Aaron.  The  Indians  were 
divided  up  into  clans,  and  each  clan  had  a  chief  with  a 
tribe  insignia  such  as  Bear,  Fish,  Fowl,  etc.  All  mem 
bers  of  a  clan  were  known  as  brothers  and  sisters,  and 
the  clans  were  cousins  to  each  other. 

I  once  thought  the  Indians  had  the  greatest  number 
of  brothers  and  sisters  I  ever  saw  until  I  learned  the 
significance  of  their  brotherhood.  Abraham,  like  the 
Indians,  could  call  his  wife  his  sister  and  tell  the  truth, 
for  they  were  both  of  the  same  clan. 

Nearly  all  the  tribes  I  have  known  had  their  feasts. 
Some  of  them  the  feasts  of  the  first  fruits.  For  instance: 
One  tribe  would  gather  the  early  wild  strawberries  and 


IO6  FORTY    YEARS 

then  assemble  in  a  solemn  conclave  where  the  head  men 
would  make  a  talk  to  the  Great  Spirit,  thanking  Him 
for  His  generosity  to  them.  After  this  they  would  feast 
on  the  berries,  and  when  this  was  over  with  the  old  men 
would  gather  together  for  a  talk;  the  young  men  for 
games;  the  women  for  gossip,  and  this  was  called  the 
feast  of  the  first  fruits, 

The  Creek  Indians  had  what  they  called  the  Feast  of 
Booths,  which  was  held  each  year  during  the  month  -of 
August  and  lasted  seven  days.  I  have  seen  as  much  as 
ten  acres  covered  with  booths.  They  would  stick  four 
poles  in  the  ground,  stretch  poles  across  and  cover  the 
top  with  brush.  If  families  were  small  two  would  oc 
cupy  a  booth,  if  a  family  was  large  it  would  occupy  a 
booth  alone.  No  one  would  participate  in  a  feast  but  a 
born  Creek,  an  adopted  Creek  could  not.  Their  leading 
men  would  talk  to  the  Great  Spirit  each  day,  and  the  en 
tire  seven  days  would  be  spent  pleasantly. 

Now,  if  you  will  take  your  Bibles  and  turn  to  the  23rd 
chapter  of  Leviticus,  beginning  at  the  3Qth  verse,  you  will 
see  how  the  Israelites  did.  You  will  find  that  all  those 
born  Israelites  participated  in  the  feast.  Where  did  the 
Creek  Indians  get  this  custom?  They  say  it  was  handed 
down  to  them  by  tradition. 

The  Seneca  Indians  used  to  have  what  was  called  a 
white  dog  feast.  You  find  that  given  in  the  23rd  chap 
ter  of  Leviticus  and  37th  verse. 

The  Indians  would  get  a  white  dog,  or  as  near  white 
as  they  could  find,  appoint  a  man  to  fatten  him  and 
when  he  was  fat  they  would  hold  a  council  and  kill  the 
dog,  hang  him  up  by  the  neck  and  after  one  day  they 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  IO7 

would  all  come  together,  each  Indian  bringing-  a  piece 
of  bark,  strip  of  cloth  or  anything,  make  a  pin  of  wood, 
put  that  through  the  strip  and  then  stick  that  in  the  dog 
as  he  hung  up.  These  strips  would  be  from  six  inches 
to  ten  feet  long,  the  length  of  the  strip  indicating  the 
length  of  the  prayer  to  the  Great  Spirit.  After  this  the 
Indians  would  build  an  altar  of  wood,  lay  the  dog  on  it 
with  all  the  strips  and  set  fire  to  the  wood.  While  the 
dog  was  burning  the  Indians  would  yell  and  dance 
around  it,  believing  the  smoke  was  carrying  their  pray 
ers  up  to  the  Great  Spirit.  This  tradition  was  also  hand 
ed  down  from  past  generations. 

Until  of  late  years  many  of  the  tribes  of  Indians 
lived  to  themselves  and  did  not  mingle  with  other  In 
dians.  I  remember  being  with  them  at  their  councils. 
The  leading  men  were  very  staid  in  all  they  did,  and 
when  they  went  to  vote  all  those  on  one  side  of  a  ques 
tion  stood  together  while  the  opposition  did  likewise, 
and  that  was  the  way  they  decided. 

I  can  readily  understand  how  they  got  so  many  dif 
ferent  languages.  When  we  first  went  among  them  my 
boys  could  not  understand  a  word  the  Indian  boys  said, 
neither  could  the  Indian  boys  understand  them.  One 
day  I  saw  my  boys  and  some  Indian  boys  playing  and 
quietly  went  around  where  they  were  and  could  hear 
them  talking  plainly.  I  discovered  they  would  soon 
have  a  language  that  was  neither  Indian  or  English,  but 
a  mongrel  language  which  both  could  understand.  That 
to  my  mind,  is  how  the  children  of  Israel  got  so  many 
languages  among  them.  I  have  also  noticed  old  Indian 
men  would  sit  at  the  doors  of  their  tent  as  did  Abraham, 


IO8  FORTY    YEARS 

Many  years  ago,  when  Stanley  Newman  and  his  wife 
were  here  on  a  visit  from  England  they  attended  the 
Quarterly  Meetings  of  the  United  States.  At  that  time 
my  wife  and  myself  were  attending  the  Western  Quarter 
ly  Meeting  at  Plainfield,  Indiana.  The  State  Reform 
atory  for  Boys  was  a  mile  from  the  town,  and  during 
the  meetings  word  came  from  the  Reformatory  inviting 
the  English  Friends  to  visit  the  institution.  Barnabas 
C.  Hobbs  and  wife  and  myself  were  appointed  to  ac 
company  them,  and  when  we  arrived  we  found  five  hun 
dred  boys,  the  superintendent,  teachers  and  workers  as 
sembled  in  the  chapel  to  greet  us 

Stanley  spoke  first,  then  Barnabas  and  myself.  When 
I  arose  to  speak  nearly  every  boy  was  asleep.  I  had 
been  accustomed  to  talking  to  the  Indian  mission  chil 
dren  who  were  all  bright  and  awake.  Boys!  BOYS!  BOYS! 
I  shouted.  By  that  time  they  were  all  awake,  Can  any 
of  you  tell  how  an  Indian  sleeps?  None  knew.  I  turn 
ed  to  the  superintendent  and  his  staff  with  the  question. 
Didn't  know.  I  said,  "He  shuts  his  eyes."  A  slang  ex 
pression,  "the  house  came  down."  The  boys  yelled  and 
the  two  hundred-pound  superintendent  shook  his  sides 
with  laughter.  There  was  no  more  sleep  while  I  spoke. 

On  returning  to  the  parlor  one  of  the  helpers  came 
in  and  said  the  boys  would  not  go  to  bed  until  they  had 
another  talk  from  that  "Western  Preacher.  I  went  up 
in  the  dormitory  and  talked  awhile,  then  bid  them  good 
night.  On  the  way  back  Barnabas  thought  I  had  shock 
ed  the  English  Friends  so  he  attempted  to  apologize 
for  my  wild  and  wooly  Western  manners.  Stanley  laid 
his  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  said:  "Barnabas,  I  wish 
there  were  more  Jeremiah's  with  the  gift  to  talk  to 
boys." 


Indian  Sketches 

I  have  known  old  Indians  of  the  same  tribe  to  get 
together  and  talk  all  night — never  go  to  sleep  at  all.  I 
remember  being  at  the  home  of  Mathias  Splitlog  with 
Uncle  Nicholas  Cotter,  and  these  two  old  men  spent  all 
night  talking  and  telling  old-time  scenes.  On  another 
occasion  I  had  a  meeting  at  Irving  P.  Long's,  and 
Frank  Whitewing  and  Nicholas  Cotter  went  with  me. 
After  the  meeting  was  over  they  told  me  to  go  to  bed. 
Away  along  in  the  night  I  awoke  and,  turning  over,  saw 
these  three  Indians  sitting  by  the  fire,  talking.  I  watch 
ed  them  awhile,  then  asked:  "What,  are  you  going  to 
sit  up  all  night?"  "Yes;"  they  replied,  "this  is  the  way 
we  Indians  do."  And  I  have  thought  how  much  they 
enjoyed  those  visits  with  one  another.  Oh,  how  much 
I  miss  those  old  Indians  who  have  gone  to  their  long 
home. 

There  are  some  eighty  Modocs.  A  few  have  marri 
ed  into  other  tribes,  although  most  of  them  among  them 
selves,  They  are  a  very  industrious  class  of  people, 
great  hands  to  work  and  to  help  themselves,  and  it  is 
really  an  inspiration  to  be  at  their  Sabbath  school  and 
meeting.  Their  lands  are  prairie  and  timber,  and  with 
their  houses  here  and  there  makes  it  look  very  home 
like.  And  then  to  see  this  band  of  Indians  as  they  once 
were  and  to  see  them  now,  we  exclaim:  What  a  change! 
Grace  did  it. 


IIO  FORTY    YEARS 

HOW    INDIANS    GET    THEIR    NAMES 

"How  do  Indians  get  their  name?"  is  often  asked, 
and  many  and  varied  are  the  answers  given  by  those  who 
pretend  to  know.  Here  is  one  version:  Soon  after  a 
child  was  born  the  father  would  go  out  and  kill  a  deer, 
bear  or  some  other  animal  and  make  a  feast.  He  would 
invite  to  the  feast  some  old  men,  who  only  had  the  right 
to  give  names.  After  the  feast  all  of  the  invited  men 
would  give  some  name  from  which  the  father  chose  one 
connected  with  his  name.  If  the  father's  name  was 
"Sky,"  the  child's  name  would  be  "Cloud,"  "Blue 
Cloud,"  "Red  Cloud,"  etc.,  or  if  the  name  of  the  father 
is  that  of  some  animal,  the  child's  name  will  be  some 
characteristic  or  attribute  of  the  animal.  The  above 
names  are  called  the  real  names,  but  most  Indians  have 
two  names,  some  few  three.  The  "common  names"  are 
given  the  child  by  the  parents  without  any  ceremony, 
and  are  the  names  by  which  the  children  are  known  by 
their  relatives  and  intimates.  If  the  family  is  a  large 
one  and  exhausts  the  supply  of  common  names  they  are 
given  over  again  with  the  addition  of  "Little."  The 
third  kind  are  the  nick  names  and  are  acquired  in  the 
same  manner  as  with  white  people.  We  knew  one  whose 
name  was  "Red  Legs,"  and  was  so  named  because  in 
battle  he  always  wore  red  leggings.  Another  Indian  was 
called  "Always-Looks-Around,"  this  nick  name  being 
given  him  because  he  was  always  looking  around  in  ev 
ery  direction.  The  Indians  said  that  if  one  would  run 
up  behind  him  and  strike  for  the  back  of  his  head,  in 
stead  of  hitting  him  there  he  would  hit  him  in  the  face. 
— Indian  Advocate. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  III 

The  Miami  Indians  had  a  reservation  in  the  Quapaw 
Indian  Agency.  I  remember  one  young-  man,  some 
thirty  years  ago,  who  would  from  one  First  day  until  the 
next  learn  by  heart  as  many  as  seven  chapters  in  the 
new  testament  and  repeat  them  to  me  while  I  held  the 
book.  He  now  lives  on  the  east  side  of  Spring  river  on 
his  allotment,  People  who  never  come  in  contact  with 
the  Indians  do  not  understand  them.  When  they  come 
and  sit  down  with  you  and  talk  matters  over  you  can 
then  get  a  much  better  insight  into  their  lives.  We 
have  been  with  them  so  long  we  can  understand  them 
and  their  wishes. 

In  the  history  of  William  Penn,  given  to  us  from  the 
year  1681  to  1701,  in  reference  to  the  Indians,  he  says: 
"For  their  origin,  I  am  ready  to  believe  them  of  the 
Jewish  race — I  mean  of  the  stock  of  the  ten  tribes  and 
that  for  the  following  reasons:  First,  they  were  to  go  to 
a  land  not  planted  or  known,  which  to  be  sure  Asia  and 
Africa  were,  if  not  Europe,  and  he  intended  that  extra 
ordinary  judgment  upon  them  might  make  the  passage 
not  uneasy  to  them  as  it  is  not  impossible  in  itself,  from 
the  easternmost  part  of  Asia  to  the  westernmost  part  of 
America.  In  the  next  place  I  find  them  of  like  coun 
tenance  and  their  children  of  so  lively  resemblance  that 
a  man  would  think  himself  in  Duke's  Place  or  in  Ber 
ry  street,  in  London,  when  he  sees  them,  but  this  is  not 
all.  They  agree  in  rites;  they  reckon  by  moons;  they 
offer  their  first  fruits;  they  have  a  kind  of  feast  of  tab 
ernacles;  they  are  said  to  lay  their  altar  upon  twelve 
stones;  their  custom  of  women  with  many  other  things 
that  do  not  now  occur." 


112  FORTY    YEARS 

Some  years  ago  there  lived  in  the  Quapavv  agency 
an  Indian  by  the  name  of  Frank  Whitewing,  one  of  the 
roughest  and  wildest  Indians  in  this  country-  If  there 
was  any  feast  or  frolic  in  the  country,  Frank  was  the 
leader  Through  the  influence  of  Dr.  Kirk  Frank  be 
came  concerned  about  his  soul,  was  converted,  joined 
the  church  and  was  a  very  faithful  follower  of  the  Lord. 
After  a  few  years  Frank  was  taken  sick  and  was  quite 
feeble  for  a  long  time,  but  as  long  as  he  could  go  we 
would  see  his  white  horse  coming  through  the  woods. 
Finally  we  missed  him  entirely  and  in  about  a  month 
I  had  occasion  to  go  down  into  the  Seneca  nation  and, 
before  starting  I  felt  so  impressed  that  I  should  go  by 
Frank's  that  I  told  my  wife.  She  would  not  hear  to  it, 
saying  that  we  did  not  have  the  time  to  spare.  But  I 
told  her  I  must,  my  feelings  thus  led  me.  So  we  started 
a  little  early  and  when  I  got  to  his  home  I  found  the 
door  closed.  Knocking,  a  voice  in  the  Seneca  tongue 
bid  me  "come  in."  I  opened  the  door  and  saw  Frank's 
wife  standing  by  the  fire  holding  her  babe.  Going  up 
to  his  bed  I  shook  his  hand  and  he  said  to  me:  "I  am 
so  glad  to  see  you;  I've  been  listening  for  you  to  come." 
I  said,  "Frank,  how  did  thou  know  I  would  come?" 
Frank  replied,  "I  asked  Jesus  this  morning  to  send  you, 
and  I  just  believed  He  would  send  you,  because  Jesus 
says  when  you  pray  believe  that  ye  receive  that  for 
which  you  pray,  and  I  did  that,  so  you  are  here.  I  want 
to  hear  you  pray  one  time  more  before  I  go  home  to  Je 
sus."  How  trusting  he  was;  like  the  disciple  of  old  "lean 
ing  on  Jesus'  breast.  In  a  week  after  this  he  passed 
away  happy  in  a  Savior's  love.  The  words  of  the  poet 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  113 

would  be  very  appropriate  to  Brother  Frank  Whitewing: 

"At  Jesus'  feet  I  take  my  place, 

I  touch  his  garment's  hem ; 
A  helpless  child  in  need  of  grace, 

My  Lord  will  not  condemn. 

"I  have  no  hope  but  in  His  love, 

His  promise  is  my  plea ; 
I  gave  myself  to  Him  who  strove, 

E'en  unto  death  for  me. 

"I  only  ask  that  I  may  know, 

What  he  would  have  me  do ; 
That  my  obedient  life  may  show 

The  race  that  bears  me  through. 

'•I've  nothing,  Lord,  to  offer  Thee, 

But  this  weak  heart  of  mine; 
O,  take  it,  Lord,  and  let  it  be 

Simply,  wholly  Thine." 


The  following-  traditional  account  of  the  earliest  his 
tory  of  the  Wyandottes  may  very  properly  preface  a  re 
cital  of  facts  comprising  their  later  history. 

At  first,  we  are  told,  they  lived  in  great  numbers  in 
a  cauntry  a-w-a-y  far  towards  the  sunset,  across  the 
ocean.  They  believed  that  there  was  another  country 
toward  the  sunrise,  and  a  large  number  of  them,  men, 
women  and  children,  were  sent  to  find  it. 

After  they  had  been  gone  much  longer  than  a  thou 
sand  years  and  did  not  come  back,  it  was  ^supposed  it 
was  because  they  could  not;  and  another  company  was 
sent  out  like  the  first  to  find  the  land  and  bring  back 
word.  When  they  had  been  away  several  years,  two 
men,  one  who  went  away,  and  one  they  had  found,  re 
turned  and  gave  this  account.  They  crossed  the  ocean 
in  a  narrow  place,  far  up  to  the  north,  and  found  a  large 
land,  inhabited  by  the  descendants  of  the  first  company 


114  FORTY    YEARS 

sent  out  from  them.  They  were  still  the  same  people, 
only  they  had  forgotten  how  to  talk  right.  After  one 
thousand  years  a  third  company  which  embraced  many 
hundred  people,  men,  women  and  children,  was  made 
up  to  go  to  the  new  country  to  live.  After  they  cross 
ed  the  ocean  at  the  narrow  place  (Behring  strait)  they 
traveled  until  they  came  to  the  country  of  the  great 
lakes,  where  they  found  some  people  talking  like  them 
selves,  and  they  knew  they  had  found  their  own  people. 

All  Indians  were  originally  Wyandottes,  the  other 
tribes  being  those  who  got  jealous  about  something  and 
went  away  off  to  live  by  themselves  and  forgot  how  to 
talk  right.  The  Wyandottes  had  no  name  originally — 
they  were  the  people.  The  first  name  they  ever  had  was 
Hurons.  Afterwards  they  were  called  Hundots;  from 
which  came  the  present  name,  Wyandottes.  Their  Na 
tional  history,  like  that  of  any  other  nation,  is  a  history 
of  their  wars;,  the  most  noted  of  which,  both  for  magni 
tude  and  continuance,  is  what  is  known  as  the  "Iroquois 
war."  The  original  question  at  issue  appears  to  have 
been,  who  was  entitled  to  the  country  by  right  of  dis 
covery.  The  result  is  illustrated  in  the  contest  between 
the  cats,  which  was  decided  by  the  monkey;  the  piece 
that  is  left  is  not  worth  dividing. 

By  oft  repeated  treaties  with  the  United  States,  and 
continued  war  with  neighboring  tribes  their  numbers 
and  extent  of  land  steadily  decreased  until  by  the  treaty 
of  1842  they  were  removed  from  Ohio  to  the  northeast 
ern  part  of  what  is  now  the  state  of  Kansas.  They  then 
numbered  about  five  hundred  souls. 

When  the  Territory  became  a  state  they  voluntarily 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  115 

dropped  their  tribal  organization ;  received  from  the  U. 
S.  the  amount  due  them  in  money  and  lands,  which  was 
divided  among  them  per.capita,  and  became  citizens  of 
the  state. — JOHN  W,  GREYEYES. 

A   TRIP    THROUGH    INDIAN    TERRITORY 

The  following:  notes  are  taken  from  a  diary  of  a  trip 
made  by  John  A.  Winney  and  myself  in  1893. 

I  boarded  the  train  at  Afton,  4th  month,  3rd  day,. 
1893,  and  at  Seneca,  Mo.,  found  my  old  friend,  John  A. 
Winney,  a  Seneca  man,  with  grip  in  hand  and  ready  for 
a  long-  trip.  We  stopped  at  Peirce  City,  Mo.,  a  couple 
of  hours,  then  got  on  the  Frisco  train  bound  for  Wichi 
ta,  Kansas,  some  two  hundred  miles  distant.  Reached 
that  place  at  5:30  the  morning  of  the  5th.  At  7:30  we 
took  a  Santa  Fe  train  for  Guthrie,  Oklahoma  Territory. 
We  passed  through  the  southern  part  of  Kansas  and 
found  the  wheat  looking  nicely  and  the  farmers  planting 
corn.  The  Cherokee  Strip,  some  sixty  miles  across  it, 
in  the  Territory,  is  excellent  prairie  country.  We  pass 
ed  several  cattle  pens  filled  with  cattle.  The  Ponca  res 
ervation  was  crossed,  on  which  were  fields  of  wheat  all 
looking  very  nice.  Also  through  a  portion  of  the  Otoe 
reservation.  Arrived  at  Guthrie  at  one  o'clock,  but  the 
man  who  met  us  could  not  start  back  to  the  lowas  until 
in  the  morning.  During  the  evening  two  of  the  Towas 
came  in  to  see  ns,  having  heard  that  we  were  in  town. 
Also  met  three  or  four  of  the  Otoes.  On  the  morning 
of  the  6th  we  met  Brother  William  Hurr,  from  the  Sac 
and  Fox  agency.  Today  we  have  come  out  some  twen 
ty-two  miles  east,  and  at  this  writing  I  am  sitting  on 


Il6  FORTY    YEARS 

the  banks  of  the  Cimarron  river.  Men  do  not  stop  their 
teams  in  this  stream  on  account  of  the  quicksand,  and 
it  is  also  quite  salty.  It  is  extremely  hot  weather  for 
this  season  of  the  year.  We  had  a  good  meeting-  this 
evening  at  Oak  Grove  school  house. 

After  coming  back  from  meeting  last  night,  John 
Winney  and  myself  slept  out  of  doors,  rested  well  and 
got  up  this  morning  feeling  much  refreshed. 

Fourth  month,  6th  day. — This  eve  we  had  meeting 
again  at  Oak  Grove.  House  full  and  good  attention 
paid  to  all  that  was  said. 

Fourth  month,  7th  day. — We  started  for  the  Iowa 
villege;  got  to  Kerwan  Murray's  about  noon;  fed  our 
team,  ate  lunch  and  then  went  on  some  two  miles  to  the 
camp  of  John  Ford.  He  had  a  large  tepee.  The  lowas 
have  a  nice  body  of  land.  Some  of  them  have  houses, 
more  with  tepees  over  in  the  bottom.  We  have  various 
things  to  sit  and  sleep  on — skins  of  animals,  reeds,  com 
forts,  etc.  In  this  tepee  there  is  a  fire,  a  hole  in  the  ren 
ter  of  the  top  for  the  smoke  to  pass  out  and  a  pole  to 
hang  the  kettles  on.  We  visited  with  one  Indian  by 
the  name  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  could  use  good 
English.  John  Winney  preached  in  the  evening.  He 
said:  ''My  brothers,  I  come  to  tell  you  about  the  love 
of  Jesus;  how  he  came  in  the  world  to  save  sinners  and 
wants  to  save  Indian,  too;  Jesus  save  me  all  time,  Jesus 
want  all  Indians  to  give  themselves  to  Him  and  He 
will  keep  them  in  right  way  all  the  time  when  Indian 
listen  what  Jesus  say.  He  tell  them  no  drink  whisky; 
no  get  drunk.  Now  I  love  Iowa  Indian;  want  to  meet 
you  all  in  heaven,  you  my  brothers;  this  all  I  say  now." 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS  117 

Fourth  month,  8th  day.-— We  had  a  good  meeting: 
here  with  the  Indians  last  evening.  After  meeting  went 
into  a  tepee  and  laid  down  with  our  feet  toward  the  fire 
and  slept  well.  I  had  an  old  Indian  man  on  one  side  of 
me  and  John  Winney  on  the  other,  and  as  I  lay  there  on 
the  ground,  felt  in  my  heart  how  good  it  was  in  trying 
to  So  something  for  the  Lord.  The  next  morning  we 
all  sat  around  on  the  ground  and  ate  breakfast  which 
consisted  of  coffee,  flap-jack  bread,  molases  made  of  su 
gar,  and  we  partook  with  a  relish.  The  Indian  women 
sat  on  the  ground  and  made  their  bread  and  did  their 
cooking.  No  stove,  no  chairs,  all  sit  down  or  rather 
sit  on  your  feet;  a  little  hard  at  first  to  persons  not  used 
to  sitting  down  that  way. 

We  left  the  Indian  camp  this  morning  and  traveled 
some  twenty-five  miles  southwest,  arriving  at  the  old 
Iowa  mission  about  one  o'clock,  where  Charles  Pearson 
and  wife  are  laboring  as  missionaries  and  doing  a  good 
work,  We  visited  the  Iowa  burying  ground.  These 
Indians  bury  with  their  heads  toward  the  north,  and  at 
the  head  of  nearly  every  grave  a  bunch  of  sticks,  prob 
ably  fifty,  tied  together,  and  sometimes  three  or  more 
bunches.  At  one  grave  a  cup  and  saucer;  at  some  of 
them  a  bunch  of  the  person's  hair  tied  up  very  nicely; 
at  others  the  skull  of  a  pony  that  belonged  to  the  dead; 
at  nearly  every  grave  a  pole  with  a  flag  a  foot  or  fifteen 
inches  square,  and  sometimes  a  portion  of  the  clothes  of 
the  dead.  Why  they  bury  with  the  head  to  the  north  I 
could  not  find  out. 

Fourth  month,  loth  day. — We  left  the  Iowa  village 
this  morning  and  traveled  nearly  all  day,  a  greater  por- 


Il8  FORTY    YEARS 

tion  through  the  Kickapoo  reservation,  and  arrived  at 
the  Mission  at  five  o'clock  where  we  held  meeting's. 

Sabbath,  the  i6th. — We  were  at  the  Shawneetown 
Sabbath  School  and  the  children  from  the  Mission  with 
many  of  the  workers  attended  the  school.  Dr.  Kirk 
superintends  when  he  is  present  and  it  is  a  very  inter 
esting  school.  We  also  met  our  old  friend,  Professor 
Richardson,  supervisor  of  Indian  schools.  We  had  a 
very  good  meeting  after  school.  At  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  we  went  over  to  the  North  Fork  of  the  Cana 
dian  to  a  town  called  Shawnee  and  had  a  good  meeting; 
people  very  attentive.  This  evening  we  again  had  meet 
ing  at  Tecumseh  and  the  house  was  crowded.  Dr.  Kirk 
and  Rachel  are  doing  a  noble  work  for  the  Master  in 
that  country  and  are  well  worthy  the  high  esteem  in 
which  they  are  held  by  the  executive  committee  on  In 
dian  affairs. 

We  returned  home  on  the  i8th,  feeling  that  we  had 
been  about  our  Father's  business;  John  Winney  feeling 
in  his  heart  that  he  had  tried  to  do  something  for  Jesus. 
We  held  some  twenty-one  meetings  in  all,  and  we  trust 
much  good  was  done  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

A  good  many  years  ago  I  used  to  hold  meetings  at 
the  home  of  Brother  Dick  Williams,  as -every one  called 
him  in  those  days.  He  was  a  white  man  and  had  mar 
ried  a  Shawnee  woman.  His  was  the  only  house  in 
that  part  of  the  country  for  a  number  of  years  and  the 
Indians  would  come  for  six,  eight  or  ten  miles  to  at 
tend  meetings.  One  time  I  was  there  holding  meeting 
when  a  blizzard  came  up  and  we  were  housed  in  for 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  I  IQ 

some  time.  I  spoke  of  being  in  the  way,  Dick  said: 
"Do  you  see  that  flour,  meat  and  lard?"  I  replied  that  I 
did.  ''Well,"  he  said,  "do  you  see  that  big-  fire  place?" 
"Yes,"  I  said,  "I  see  that."  "Now,  all  you  have  to  do," 
said  he,  "is  to  eat,  sleep,  sit  by  the  fire  and  feel  as  can- 
tented  as  though  at  home."  He  had  a  large  log  house 
located  about  four  miles  southwest  of  Miami,  but  no  one 
thought  of  a  town  in  those  days.  When  people  com 
menced  coming  in  and  settling  the  country,  he  built  a 
school  house.  There  are  very"  few  such  great  hearted 
men  as  was  Dick  Williams, 

William  L.  George  and  I  made  a  visit  to  a  settle 
ment  of  full-blood  Cherokee  Indians  on  the  east  side  of 
Grand  river  in  the  Cherokee  nation,  they  having  sent 
word  to  us  requesting  a  meeting.  We  arrived  at  John 
Corntastle's  one-room  house  at  five  o'clock.  Our  sup 
per  consisted  of  corn  bread  straight,  a  piece  of  side  meat 
old,  and  stringy  and  tough,  but  for  a  good,  square  meal 
it  was  not  enough,  a  cup  of  sasafras  tea  without  sugar 
or  cream — quinine  would  have  tasted  sweeter,  I  am  sure. 
Our  breakfast  was  our  supper  duplicated.  It  was  seven 
miles  to  the  meeting  house,  through  rough  country,  and 
when  we  arrived  we  found  the  house  to  consist  of  just 
one  door  and  no  windows.  The  mountain  side  had  a 
slope  of  thirty  degrees  and  the  house  was  built  to  con 
form  to  the  slope'.  When  you  went  to  the  rear  of  the 
house  it  was  a  climb  up  hill.  During  the  meeting  the 
songs  were  sung  in  the  Cherokee  tongue.  At  the  close 
of  the  meeting  a  party  of  Indians  skipped  out,  killed  a 
wild  hog  and  by  three  o'clock  we  had  a  buncom  good 


I2O  FORTY    YEARS 

dinner.  After  dinner  we  held  another  meeting".  Then 
we  had  to  travel  fifteen  miles  before  we  could  get  any 
thing  more  to  eat.  We  put  up  at  an  Indian's  by  the 
name  of  George  Ward  whose  wife  was  a  good  cook. 
Here  is  where  William  came  near  killing  himself  from 
overeating.  The  next  day  we  arrived  at  home.  At  a 
full-blood  Indian  meeting  you  will  never  see  anyone 
asleep,  and  I  would  .prefer,  today  to  take  one  hundred 
full-blood  blanket  Indians  and  preach  to  them  the  gos 
pel  of  the  Living  Christ  than  to  talk  to  three  men  who, 
all  their  lives,  have  had  the  privileges  of  Christianity,  so 
far  as  effective  work  is  concerned.  There  is  something 
of  nobility  and  grandure  about  a  full-blood  Indian. 

AN    INDIAN     MEETING 

A  good  many  years  ago  I  was  holding  meetings 
with  the  Indians  which  we  held  from  one  house  to  the 
other.  We  concluded  to  hold  an  all-day  meeting  in 
the  woods,  so  we  found  a  deep  ravine  near  a  large  spring 
of  water;  brought  our  dinners  with  us,  fixed  a  place  for 
me  to  stand  at  the  foot  of  the  high  hill  while  the  people 
sat  on  the  ground  one  tier  above  another.  The  farther- 
est  away  being  about  seventy-five  feet,  but  I  could  see 
them  all  plainly.  It  would  take  about  two  hours  to 
hold  a  meeting,  the  interpreter  being  as  long  in  trans 
lating  as  it  took  me  to  talk.  Often  the  last  word  I  used 
would  be  the  first  used  by  the  interpreter.  I  had  an  in 
terpreter  for  each  tribe.  There  is  no  Indian  tribe  that 
has  a  substitute  word  for  the  word  "Jesus;"  for  every 
thing  else  they  have  a  name,  which  proves  the  scriptures. 
The  angel  said  unto  Joseph  that  his  wife  should  bear  a 
son  and  his  name  should  be  called  Jesus  throughout  the 
ends  of  the  earth. 


The  Marrying  Parson 

Uncle  Jerry  Hubbard  is  known  far  and  wide  as  the 
"marrying"  Quaker  preacher,"  for  be  it  known  of  all  men 
that  he  has  married  people  all  over  this  part  of  former 
Indian  Territory  since  the  first  coming  of  the  Indian 
tribes  who  peopled  this  section  and  erected  their  wig 
wams  on  the  sunny  slopes  of  Spring-  and  Neosho  rivers, 
and  even  before. 

The  story  is  told  on  him  that  he  helped  dig  these 
streams  in  Ottawa  county  and  put  bark  on  the  trees 
that  line  them.  But  be  that  as  it  may  it  remains  as  a 
fact  that  whenever  called  upon,  whatever  the  errand 
may  be,  Uncle  Jerry  gets  into  the  harness  and  is  alike 
useful,  whether  splicing  a  couple  or  performing  the  last 
sad  rites  for  "the  deceased. 

And  he  has  been  busy  during  the  holidays,  in  fact  on 
Sunday  preceding  Christmas  he  made  one-half  score  of 
souls  happily  rejoicing  in  new-found  bliss  in  the  con 
nubial  state.  Here  is  the  record: 

At  the  home  of  Jerry  Hubbard,  Mr.  Wm.  Sparlin 
to  Miss  Grace  Higginbotham,  both  of  Miami,  Oklaho 
ma. 

Mr.  Baker  Elmer  Jackson  to  Miss  Marie  Barnes, 
both  of  Miami,  Oklahoma. 

Mr.  Roy  Vanetta  to  Miss  Cora  A.  Summers,  both  of 
Miami,  Oklahoma. 


122  FORTY    YEARS 

At  Mrs.  Robison's,  Mr.  Austin  H.  Stevens  to  Miss 
Georgie  D.  Robison,  both  of  Miami. 

Mr.  Ranson  F.  Shelton  to  Miss  Delia  McClaire,  both 
of  Miami. 

He  went  to  Bluejacket  Monday  night  to  officiate 
when  younger  men  would  not  have  been  tempted  from 
their  own  fireside  by  any  number  of  fees  hardly,  or 
piles  of  turkey  and  wedding-  sweets,  but  Uncle  Jerry  is 
cast  in  a  different  mold  from  most  men,  the  older  he 
gets  the  more  he  seems  to  take  pleasure  in  making  oth 
ers  happy.  His  digestion  is  perfect,  for  he  has  been 
known  to  store  away  three  suppers  in  one  night;  this 
shows  the  social  side  of  the  man  as  well  as  the  gastro 
nomic.  Uncle  Jerry  is  in  his  75th  year,  (77th  as  this 
book  is  being  printed),  his  wife  is  some  years  younger, 
and  both  regard  themselves  as  still  young  in  that  they 
feel  that  way  and  have  young  hearts.  He  has  a  little 
book  in  which  he  keeps  his  marriage  record,  and  many 
is  the  family  in  which  he  pronounces  the  ceremony  for 
four  generations. — Miami,  (Okla,),  Record-Herald,  De 
cember  29,  IQII. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  hundreds  of  marriages  I  have 
performed  since  I  have'  been  a  minister.  For  many 
years  I  kept  no  record  of  them.  Many  of  them  were  In 
dians,  and  it  is  to  be  remarked  that  when  an  Indian  was 
converted  he  immediately  wished  to  conform  to  the 
Christian  marriage  ceremony,  no  matter  how  long  he 
had  been  married  as  a  pagan  nor  how  large  a  family  he 
may  have  had.  My  wife  often  held  the  babies  while  I 
married  them. 

Married,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  father  Jesse  Hod- 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  123 

son,  of  Alba,  Mo.,  James  Moss  Hubbard  and  Dora  Hod- 
son,  July  4th,  1880.     A  fine  dinner. 

Married  at  Brother  Crosby's  a  mile  north  of  Orono- 
go,  the  home  of  the  bride,  John  Boyd  and  Miss  Crosby, 
March  28,  1880.  It  was  my  privilege  twenty-five  years 
after  to  be  at  their  silver  wedding;  eleven  fine  looking 
children  were  the  fruits  of  this  wedding.  An  elaborate 
dinner  was  served  and  many  costly  presents  were  given 
them,  among  which  was  an  Indian  basket  made  by  a 
Seneca  Indian  woman  and  presented  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jerry  Hubbard  of  Miami,  Oklahoma.  Mrs.  Boyd's 
aged  parents  were  present  from  Eldorado  Springs,  Mo. 

Married  at  Splitlog's  in  the  Seneca  tribe  of  Indians 
in  the  Indian  Territory,  William  Hunt  and  Margaret 
Splitlog,  daughter  of  Mathias  Splitlog  and  wife,  Octo 
ber  28,  1882. 

Married  at  Timber  Hills  William  Rose  and  Ida 
Wiley,  December  10,  1882. 

December  7,  1882,  I  married  the  two  daughters  of 
Mrs.  Alice  Smith  of  Alba,  Missouri.  William  Journey 
and  Alta,  William  Burket  and  Adell.  A  fine  dinner. 

Married  at  Wyandotte,  Indian  Territory,  May  28, 
1883,  Manford  Pooler,  an  Ottawa  Indian,  and  Mary 
Richardville,  a  Miami  Indian. 

October  10,  1883,  James  M.  Johnson  and  Mary  But- 
ram  of  Joplin,  Missouri. 

On  Sabbath  the  i$th,  December,  1883,  at  the  close  of 
the  meeting  at  Splitlog's,  I  married  Joseph  Splitlog  and 
Eliza  Vancleve,  she  a  white  woman.  I  had  married  her 
to  her  first  husband  in  Missouri. 

On  February  nth,  1884,  at  Seneca,  Mo.,  married 
Dayton  Jones  and  Miss  Tinny  Patton. 


124  FORTY    YEARS 

Married,  on  July  loth,  1884,  Allen  Johnson  and  his 
wife.  They  had  lived  together  many  years  and  raised  a 
large  family,  all  grown.  Both  Wyandotte  Indians. 

At  the  home  of  Joseph  King  in  the  Ottawa  nation, 
Mr.  Antonine  Gorkey,  a  Sac  and  Fox  Indian,  and  Miss 
M.  Mitchell,  a  white  lady. 

On  December  soth,  1884,  I  was  down  back  of  my 
house  by  Lost  creek  and  heard  some  one  call  me.  I  saw 
on  the  other  side  of  the  creek  a  man  and  woman  who 
said  they  wanted  to  get  married.  The  waters  were  very 
high  and  the  man  asked  if  there  was  a  skiff  handy.  I 
told  him  no.  He  said,  "I  will  give  you  all  the  money  I 
have  if  you  will  marry  us."  I  asked  him  how  much  he 
had  and  he  said  one  dollar.  I  told  him  to  throw  it  over, 
got  up  on  a  log  and  told  them  to  join  their  right  hands, 
then  I  repeated  the  ceremony.  We  did  not  have  to 
have  a  license  in  those  days. 

January  30,  1884,  married  John  Crow,  a  Seneca  In 
dian,  and  Mary  Whitewing,  a  Wyandotte.  I  am  not  a 
lover  of  chicken  and  dumplings,  but  I  ate  a  full  meal 
for  there  was  only  bread  and  coffee.  I  used  an  inter 
preter  for  this  ceremony. 

On  April  5,  1884,  married  Eli  Wallace  and  Eliza  Hill. 

On  April  19,  1884,  married  Frank  Wallace  and  Mollie 
Vanslyke  at  Wyandotte  Mission.  Both  white  people. 
They  gave  me  a  two  and  one-half-dollar  gold  piece. 

Married  on  Sycamore  Creek  at  Aunty  Sharlow's, 
after  meeting,  Jack  Armstrong  and  wife,  both  Senecas. 
Lived  together  for  many  years. 

June  soth,  1884,  married  A.  C.  Kizer,  a  white  man, 
and  Susan  Sarahas,  a  Wyandotte.  Ten  years  after  he 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  125 

paid  me  five  dollars.  When  he  was  drunk  he  would  al 
ways  talk  about  paying  me,  but  when  sober  he  would 
not  mention  it.  One  day  at  a  funeral  he  handed  me  the 
money,  saying,  "I  guess  you  know  what  it  is  for." 

On  May  4,  1886,  married  Billy  Bearskin  and  Susan 
Brown,  both  Wyandottes.  Used  an  interpreter.  They 
had  lived  together  for  many  years  and  had  two  grown 
sons. 

May  19,  1886,  married  at  the  home  of  E.  H.  Brown 
James  Wallace  and  Margaret  Vanslyke. 

August  15,  1886,  married  George  Jamison  and  Ellen 
Crawford.  He  gave  me  a  ham  of  venison  and  a  pair  of 
velvet  deer  horns  He  was  the  boy  I  whipped  that  said 
he  knew  Teacher  couldn't  whip  him. 

Married,  at  Alba,  Missouri,  Edgar  Hubbard  and 
Mabel  Smith,  November  4,  1886.  He  has  passed  away 
to  his  long  home  many  years  ago. 

Married,  December  27,  1886,  at  the  Wyandotte 
Mission,  Indian  Territory,  R.  C.  Griggs  and  Miss  Stella 
Cruce,  employes  of  the  Mission,  both  white.  They  had 
a  wedding  cake  twenty  inches  high. 

Married,  at  Seneca,  Missouri,  December  27,  1886, 
James  Shear  and  Alice  S.  Jackson.  She  a  school  teach 
er  and  her  husband  a  carpenter.  An  excellent  dinner. 

Married  my  oldest  son,  Erastus  H.  Hubbard  and 
Harriet  A,  Jackson,  February  29,  1888,  at  Wyandotte, 
Indian  Territory.  They  now  live  in  Miami. 

Married  at  Seneca,  Missouri,  January  15,  1888, 
George  Buzzard  and  Lily  Walker.  They  still  live  in 
Seneca. 

Married   March  19,   1888,   Benjamin  F.  Tousey  and 


126  FORTY    YEARS 

Elizabeth  H.  Douthit.  He  was  a  Stockbridge  Indian, 
she  a  Quapaw.  He  passed  peacefully  away  many  years 
ago. 

Married,  March  25,  1888,  Henry  Stand  and  Nancy 
Smith,  she  a  Peoria  Indian,  he  a  half  Seneca  and  Wy- 
andotte. 

Married  at  Seneca,  Missouri,  November  i2th,  1888, 
Mat  C.  Murdock  and  Blanche  Walker.  He  was  a  white 
man  and  his  wife  a  Wyandotte  Indian. 

Married,  November  28,  1888,  Thomas  Walker  and 
Cora  Walker.  Both  Wyandottes. 

Married  at  J.  C.  McNaughton's  home  in  the  Peoria 
Nation,  December  9,  1888,  William  Perry  and  Miss 
Walker. 

Married  at  Seneca,  Missouri,  January  i,  1889,  Wil 
liam  Quigg  and  Sarah  E.  Myers. 

Married,  November  n,  1891,  Clyde  Goodner  and 
Maud  Perry. 

Married,  December  14,  1890,  Jerry  Hubbard  Modoc 
and  Jennie  Modoc.  He  was  the  homliest  Indian  I  ever 
saw.  When  the  younger  children  of  the  tribe  had  no 
name  Asa  Tuttle  told  them  to  name  themselves,  so  this 
Indian  took  my  name  and  added  the  name  Modoc  that 
we  might  not  get  mixed. 

December  14,  1890,  married  William  Faithful  and 
Lucy  Modoc.  William  received  his  name  through  be 
ing  faithful  to  the  whites.  At  one  time  he  overheard 
the  Indians  plotting  to  kill  the  soldiers  and  went  to  Dr. 
Thomas,  General  Camby  and  Col.  Beecham  and  told 
them  there  was  to  be  a  general  massacre,  but  they  did 
not  believe  him  until  it  was  too  late. 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  127 

One  Sabbath  in  1892,  I  married  Alfred  Whitecrow 
and  Mary  Spicer,  both  Seneca  Indians.  She  used  to  live 
with  us  and  was  a  very  good  girl,  always  pleasant  and 
jovial, 

Married  July  ist,  1892,  G.  L.  Spradling  and  Flor 
ence  R.  Holman.  Both  whites.  Live  at  Desloge,  Mo. 

Married  at  the  Wyandotte  Mission  March  29,  1887, 
Edwin  Little  and  Belle  Naramore. 

Married  at  the  Modoc  Mission,  July  23,  1887,  Dan 
iel  Clinton  and  Jennie  Lawver.  Both  Modocs. 

In  the  Seneca  Nation,  December  18,  1887,  John 
Dickey  and  Matilda  Spicer,  of  Canada. 

Married,  February  6,  1893,  at  Joplin,  Missouri,  Rob 
ert  Fowler  and  Minerva  Robison,  An  excellent  sup 
per  was  served.  The  Robison  girls  are  among  the  best 
cooks  in  the  country.  They  live  at  Wyandotte,  Okla 
homa,  now. 

Married,  February  28,  1893,  at  the  Wyandotte  Mis 
sion,  Harwood  Hall,  superintendent  of  the  mission,  and 
Mrs.  J.  Fannie  Dean.  She  was  the  matron.  They  were 
transferred  to  a  Dakota  school  and  were  married  just 
before  their  departure.  They  are  now  at  Redland,  Cali 
fornia,  in  an  Indian  school. 

September  26th,  1906,  married  at  Lowell,  Kansas,  at 
the  home  of  the  bride's  father,  W.  F.  Stith,  Floyd  Sim 
mons  and  Florence  E.  Stith.  She  is  my  granddaughter. 

Married,  December  9th,  1906,  Ervin  Triggs  and  Cora 
McCorkle,  of  Miami.  They  are  now  in  Oregon. 

Married  December  nth,  1906,  Lewis  R.  Hough  of 
Portalis,  New  Mexico,  and  Elizabeth  G.  Hubbard  of 
Alba,  Missouri.  She  is  a  niece  of  mine,  he  a  dentist  of 
the  above  place. 


128  FORTY    YEARS 

Married  in  Miami,  December  24,  1906,  Harry 
Ironsides  and  Betilah  Jones.  Now  live  in  Michigan. 

Married  at  our  home  in  Wyandotte,  February  10, 
1889,  Dudley  Jackson  and  Hannah  Crippen.  She  lived 
with  us  for  three  years,  and  during-  all  that  time  we  nev 
er  saw  her  out  of  humor,  and  was  always  a  kind  and 
loving  girl,  ready  to  do  anything  that  was  to  be  done. 
They  now  live  in  Miami,  Oklahoma. 

Married  at  Seneca,  Missouri,  June  9,  1889,  Frances 
C.  Lea  and  Olive  H.  Nichols.  He  is  a  railroad  man. 

Married  August  3,  1889,  Smith  Nichols  and  Lucy 
Crow.  He  is  a  Wyandotte  and  she  a  Seneca.  They  are 
both  sweet  singers  in  the  Wyandotte  language. 

Married  at  the  residence  of  the  bride's  father,  J.  E. 
Jackson,  August  25,  1889,  Robert  Price  and  Margaret 
Jackson.  Nice  supper.  Now  of  Miami,  Oklahoma. 

Married,  November  23,  1889,  John  Spicer  and  Annie 
Long — he  a  Seneca  and  she  a  Modoc. 

Married,  February  3,  1901,  W.  A.  Ramsey  and  Clara 
Supernaw.  Both  of  Miami. 

Married,  February  10,  1901,  James  T.  McCullume 
and  Belle  Waters. 

Married,  February  23,  1901,  Oscar  Allen  and  C4eo 
McGee.  Both  of  Miami. 

Married,  February  24,  1901,  Alva  Mitchel  and  Win 
nie  Sky.  Live  near  Miami. 

Married,  February  24,  1901,  Jim  Poe  and  Thora 
Brown.  He  is  a  barber  in  Miami. 

Married,  March  27,  1901,  Frank  Lafallier  and  Pearl 
Peckham.  Both  Peoria  Indians. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  129 

July  22,  1901,  Lewis  Peckham  and  Lizzie  Large. 
Both  of  Miami.  He  has  since  passed  away. 

Married,  July  24,  1901,  H.  H.  Rider  and  Rosa  A. 
Record,  of  Fairland  and  Afton. 

Married  December  31,  1901,  Hardy  T.  Farmer  and 
Ada  E.  Moore.  Both  Peoria  Indians  of  Miami. 

Married  October  27,  1901,  W.  S.  Kirk  and  Eva 
Waddel,  both  of  Miami. 

W.  W.  McBrian  and  Myrtle  Pooler,  of  Miami.  He  a 
white  man,  she  an  Ottawa. 

Married  at  the  Friends  church,  Miami,  February  22, 
IQ03,  Silas  Burnette  and  Mrs.  Susanna  Burris. 

Married,  July  19,  1903,  John  Harper  and  Josie 
Hinds,  both  of  Miami. 

Married,  September  20,  1903,  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents  in  Miami,  H.  E.  Stines  and  Ethel  Brown. 
He  is  a  rural  route  mail  carrier. 

On  January  7,  1904,  G.  W.  Larkin  and  Frances 
Davidson.  All  of  Miami. 

Married,  February  i,  1904,  R.  J.  Cantrell  and  Blanche 
Crouch,  of  Miami. 

Married  at  Miami,  January  24,  1903,  Jeff  McCleary 
and  Maggie  Shinn. 

Married  February  2,  1904,  James  'Lamar  and  Mary 
Ketchum,  of  Fairland,  Oklahoma. 

Married  March  7,  1904,  A.  J.  McCrery  and  Mary  J. 
McCombs,  Ottawa  nation. 

Married  at  Afton,  Columbus  Williams  and  Rosa  T. 
Montgomery.  A  fine  dinner  and  large  crowd  present. 
He  is  a  Cherokee  Indian,  she  a  white  lady. 

Married  at  Mt.  Hussey,  Cherokee  nation,  October  15 


130  FORTY    YEARS 

1896,  Lee  M.  Newman  and  Mrs.  Edna  H.  Quizzin.  She 
and  her  first  husband,  Robert  Quizzin,  were  missionaries 
at  the  Ottawa  Mission  for  several  years. 

Married  September  22,  1897,  Richard  Binns  and 
Luna  Bailey.  Now  live  near  Lincolnville,  Oklahoma. 

Married  at  Miami,  December  20,  1898,  Wm.  W. 
England  and  Kelvia  James.  She  used  to  board  at  our 
home  and  teach  school.  She  scatters  sunshine. 

Married,  March  19,  1899,  at  Lowell,  Kansas,  Fred 
W.  VonWedell  and  Carrie  Cummins. 

Married  in  Kansas,  April  12,  1899,  Eugene  C.  Scott 
and  Lora  B.  Nordyke. 

Married  at  Alba,  Missouri,  May  16,  1899,  Bailey 
Hubbard  and  Cora  Gathers.  He  a  nephew  of  mine. 

Married  at  the  same  time  and  place,  the  brides  being 
sisters,  May  16,  1899,  Will  Haney  and  Adelia  Gathers. 

Married  at  Lowell,  Kansas,  August  8,  1899,  Charley 
E.  Graham  and  Adell  Reagan. 

Married  at  Alba,  Missouri,  September  17,  1899, 
Phillip  Smith  and  Anna  Baldwin. 

Married  at  Ottawa,  December  20,  1899,  George 
Wyrick  and  Lula  Robertaile.  He  a  white  man  and  she 
an  Ottawa  Indian. 

Married,  May  13,  1900,  Thomas  McBee  and  Laura 
Minor. 

Married  at  the  home  of  the  bride,  H.  H.  Butler, 
Charles  W.  A.  Davis  and  Belle  Butler.  A  handsome 
couple. 

Married  at  the  Commercial  Hotel,  September  29, 
1900,  O.  R.  Lucus  and  Silver  Dollar.  He  was  a  white 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS  131 

man  and  she  a  Miami  Indian.  The  only  time  I  ever 
married  a  Dollar. 

Married  at  Miami,  October  4,  1900,  Ed  Ziler  and 
Lillie  Montgomery. 

On  January  2,  1901,  I  was  called  to  the  Commercial 
hotel  parlors  and  married  John  M.  Lester  and  Jennie 
Bluejacket,  of  Afton.  The  man  told  me  to  go  home  and 
say  nothing  to  anyone  about  what  had  happened.  We 
separated  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and  in  about  an  hour 
he  came  back  and  got  the  girl.  I  never  saw  or  heard  of 
him  again. 

I  had  another  experience  some  years  ago  seven  miles 
southwest  of  Miami.  A  young  man  had  ruined  a  girl, 
and  one  day  when  he  was  at  the  home  of  the  girl  her 
fathar  took  down  his  shot  gun  and  told  him  to  stay  in 
that  room.  He  then  sent  his  son  for  a  marriage  license 
and  a  preacher.  The  son  came  for  me  and  said  he  would 
take  me  out  and  bring  me  back,  but  told  me  nothing  of 
the  circumstance.  I  went  and  the  old  man  made  him 
marry  the  girl,  but  I  don't  like  such  experiences. 

Married  at  Fairland,  Oklahoma,  January  29,  1901, 
P.  L.  Black  and  Cora  Flint. 

On  January  19,  1901,  married,  Titus  Barlow  and 
Edith  Thankful  King,  at  Ottawa;  she  an  Ottawa,  he  a 
white  man. 

Married,  February  2,  1992,  Fred  Station  and  Flora 
Peffingar  of  Columbus,  Kansas.  He  is  a  Peoria  Indian 
and  she  a  white  lady. 

Married,  February  23,  1902,  Tory  Brown  and  'Lizzie 
Tawlkenbury.  A  fine  supper  at  five  o'clock  which  all 
enjoyed. 


132  FORTY    YEARS 

Married,  March  23,  1902,  J.  E.  Wills  and  Lizzie 
Lane,  of  Miami. 

Married,  August  18,  1902,  Frank  E.  Audrain  and 
Mary  Wier,  of  Fairland. 

Married  June  29,  1902,  Carl  Wills  and  Queenie  Ly- 
kins,  of  Miami.  A  fine  dinner  served. 

Married,  at  Lowell,  Kansas,  August  21,  1902,  T.  C. 
Horner  of  Spurgeon,  Missouri,  and  Lizzie  Mendenhall, 
of  Lowell,  Kansas. 

Married,  June  26,  1904,  A.  S.  Thompson  and  Elsie 
Peery  of  Miami.  They  were  married  with  the  beautiful 
ring  ceremony  and  stood  under  a  large  star  in  the  ceil 
ing.  A  fine  supper  was  served  by  Mrs.  J.  P.  McNaugh- 
ton,  a  sister  of  the  bride. 

Married,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  father,  Henry 
Rockwell,  Harry  K.  Hubbard  and  Clyde  Rockwell,  all 
of  Miami.  He  is  our  youngest  son. 

Married,  February  13,  1905,  C.  C.  Barnard  and  Le 
na  E.  Finley,  of  Miami.  He  a  white  man  and  she  a 
Miami  Indian. 

Married,  February  22,  1905,  W.  S.  Staton  and  Helen 
Smith,  of  Miami;  he  a  Peoria  Indian  and  she  a  white 
lady. 

Married,  October  i,  1905,  Gurney  Hubbard  and  Mrs. 
May  Pryor,  of  Alba,  Missouri;  he  a  nephew  of  mine. 

Married,  June  27,  1906,  Luther  F.  Lee  and  Grace  D. 
Hubbard,  of  Alba,  Missouri;  she  a  niece  of  mine. 

Married,  November  14,  1906,  John  Skaggs  and  Anna 
Revere,  of  Lowell,  Kansas. 

Married,  February  12,  1907,   Addison    W.    Menden- 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS'  133 

hall  and  Clara  VonWedell,  Lowell,  Kansas.  Now  in 
California. 

Married,  March  24,  1907,  Fred  Mitchell  and  Stella 
Nolend,  Miami. 

Married,  March  21,  1907,  M.  T.  Cordin  and  Lula 
Lenard  of  Quapaw. 

Married  at  Carthage,  Missouri,  at  the  residence  of 
Nial  Wagoner,  friends  of  the  bride,  at  three  o'clock, 
Saturday  afternoon,  March  13,  1907,  William  H.  Hoi- 
ton  and  Sue  Shellhammer.  The  ceremony  was  perform 
ed  by  Rev.  Jerry  Hubbard,  of  Miami,  Indian  Territo 
ry,  an  uncle  of  the  groom.  The  contracting  parties  are 
well  known  in  Alba,  Missouri,  and  stand  high  in  the  es 
timation  of  their  friends.  Those  present  were  Mollie 
Holton,  Mrs.  Cronk,  Essie  Cronk,  Mrs.  Gray,  Lena 
Holton  and  Sophia  Cook.  Refreshments  of  ice  cream 
and  cake  were  served. 

Married,  August  18,  1907,  John  S.  Hale  and  Marchie 
Drake,  Miami. 

Married,  September  8,  1907,  Bert  Staton  and  Pearl 
Godell,  Miami,  Oklahoma;  he  a  Peoria  Indian,  she  a 
white  woman, 

Married,  July  19,  1903,  John  Harper  and  Josie 
Hinds,  of  Miami. 

Married,  June  4,  1902,  David  Lafallier,  of  Chetopa, 
and  Grace  Newlin,  of  Quapaw. 

Married,  September  n,  1907,  Albert  McGinnis  and 
Myrtle  Durham.  The  wedding  was  kept  secret  for  two 
months  to  fool  the  young  people  of  Miami. 

Married,  October  13,  1907,  William  Ziler  and  Ruby 
A.  Turner,  Miami.  A  handsome  couple. 


134  FORTY    YEARS 

Married,  November  12,  1907,  Max  Paul  and  Edith 
Carnell,  of  Miami;  he  a  druggist,  she  a  school  teacher. 

Married,  under  the  new  law  of  Oklahoma,  Novem 
ber  24,  1907,  Jesse  Porter  and  Hazel  Wills;  he  from 
Manford,  Oklahoma  and  she  of  Miami.  Fine  supper. 

Married,  December  i,  1907,  Charles  Lewis  Spence 
and  Vinnie  Beegar,  out  at  Ottawa. 

Married  at  Alba,  Missouri,  February  8,  1908,  William 
Lindley  Hill  and  Anna  Belle  Hubbard;  she  my  niece. 

Married  in  1907,  C.  F.  Nigh  and  Edna  Gulett,  Blue 
Jacket,  Oklahoma. 

Married  at  Blue  Jacket,  Oklahoma,  April  18,  1908, 
Clifton  Doty  and  Cora  Gulett. 

Married,  Hiram  McBee  and  Sarah  E.  Gordon;  he  a 
white  man, 'she  a  Quapaw  Indian. 

Married,  December  20,  1908,  Earl  Triggs  and  Agnes 
R.  Hubbard,  Miami.  My  granddaughter. 

Married,  January  3,  1909,  Samuel  E.  Larson  and 
Anna  Belle  McCorkle,  Miami. 

Married,  January  6,  1908,  James  H.  Waddel  and 
Minnie  Houseman,  Miami. 

Married,  at  Lowell,  Kansas,  January  10,  1909,  Harry 
H.  Lane  and  Ella  VonWedell. 

Married,  January  10,  1909,  John  M.  Kipps  and  Sadie 
Breckenridge,  Miami. 

Married,  February  2,  1909,  J.  F.  Baker  and  Virdie 
S.  Cummings,  Hattonville,  Oklahoma. 

Married,  March  14,  1909,  Fred  A.  Lee  and  Marie 
Evans,  Ottawa,  Oklahoma.  Now  of  California. 

Marred,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  father,  Manford 
Pooler,  J.  L.  Pappin  and  Josephine  J.  Pooler. 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS  135 

Married,  April  18,  igog,  Leo  E.  Albro  and  Myrtle 
Gibson,  Ottawa. 

Married,  May  i,  igog,  Lewis  Zimmerman  and  Ada 
McGuffin,  Miami.  Fine  young-  couple. 

Married,  February    20,   igog,  John    W.  Sackett    and 
Nora  C.  Stilson,  Miami. 

Married,  May  30,  igog,  six  miles  northwest  of  Mi 
ami,  Joseph  F.  Demo  and  Mrs.  Laura  P.  Frost.  Big- 
dinner. 

Married,  June  16,  igog,  Lafayette  Williams  and 
Minnie  Cole,  Ottawa. 

Married,  June  20,  igog,  William  Markel  and  Ethel 
Walker,  Miami. 

Married,  Pink  Hayes  and  Georgia  Wyrick,  Ottawa. 

Married,  July  7,  igog,  Walter  G.  Wallace  and  Pearl 
Robison,  Miami. 

Married,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents,  George 
Bigham,  Walter  E.  Foster  and  Mary  I.  Bigham,  Miami. 

Married,  August  8,  igog,  Charles  M.  Demo  and 
Mary  W.  Bailey,  six  miles  northeast  of  Miami. 

Married,  at  Fairland,  Oklahoma,  August  16,  igog, 
Albert  Sidney  Lee  and  Fitzhugh  Lee  Bird.  Both  were 
named  after  war  generals. 

Married,  September  15,  igog,  G.  B.  Williams  and 
Gertie  Whitely,  Welch,  Oklahoma. 

Married,  at  Alba,  Missouri,  December  25,  igog, 
George  W.  Williams  and  Edith  A.  Robbins.  Fine  din 
ner.  Clerk  in  postoffice  department. 

Married,  February  23,  igio,  Peter  Coons  and  Jennie 
C.  Bradley,  Miami.  Clerk  in  postoffice. 

Married,    February    24,    igio,    Dillard   Wilson  and 


136  FORTY    YEARS 

Ethel  Pearl  Newton,  Miami.     Now  in  Joplin,  Missouri. 

Married,  April  17,  1910,  Richard  Finke  and  Bessie 
Duncan;  he  a  druggist  at  Fairland,  Oklahoma. 

Married,  June  27,  1910,  Clarence  E.  Ensworth  and 
Grace  Hale,  Miami;  he  a  Miami  Indian,  she  a  white 
lady. 

Married,  IQIO,  ten  miles  west  of  Miami  at  the  home 
of  the  bride,  Virgil  Duffy  and  Lavera  DeSilva.  Fine 
supper. 

Married,  October  2,  1910,  Frank  Glasscock  and  Callie 
Jackson,  Welch,  Oklahoma. 

Married,  January  i,  1911,  Artie  O.  Stevens  and  Nan 
nie  Houseman,  Ottawa. 

Married,  March  19,  i9ti,  Fred  J.  Hagle  and  Virgie 
B.  Burcham,  Peoria,  Oklahoma. 

Married,  March  12,  i9n,  J.  Elliott  and  Bessy  M. 
Garden,  North  Miami. 

Married,  in  Friends  church,  Miami,  April  9,  i9n, 
Fred  H.  Kelch  and  Ada  G.  Whickers,  Miami. 

Married  on  June  6,  i9n,  R.  M.  Marks  and  Nellie  M. 
Rockwell,  Miami. 

Married  at  Miami,  June  n,  i9n,  H.  M.  Hewett  and 
Inez  Rockwell. 

Married  Chauncey  C.  Kipps  and  Zoe  B.  Barlow  of 
Miami. 

On  June  24,  i9n,  married  Jesse  L.  Nefus,  Cassville, 
Missouri,  and  Cora  Gamble,  Miami. 

July  8,  i9n,  married  Levi  Boombury  and  Mrs.  Susie 
Mudd,  Seneca  Indians.  I  married  the  parents  and  now 
marry  the  children.  This  young  man's  father  was  at 
one  time  my  interpreter  in  my  missionary  work,  years 
ago. 


AMONG  THE    INDIANS  137 

August  7,  i9n,  married  Gale  Robison  and  Gertie 
Beck,  Miami. 

August  27,  i9n,  Eugene  McBee  and  Vera  Partain, 
Miami. 

September  2,  i9ii,  married  Tom  L.  Moore  and 
Ethel  Miller,  Miami;  he  a  white  man,  she  a  Miami  In 
dian. 

September  17,  i9n,  George  H.  Kempel,  and  Anna 
M.  Hudson,  Miami. 

September  20,  1911,  married  at  the  home  of  Clarence 
Griffith,  Fred  Matthews  and  Erma  Duden. 

Married,  at  Afton,  Oklahoma,  November  16,  TQII, 
Paul  Hubbard  and  Beulah  M.  Ogdon. 

Married,  at  Miami,  Ruben  T.  Blount  and  Mrs. 
Margaret  Edwards,  Hattonville,  Oklahoma. 

December,  1911,  married  Joseph  Bennet  Gibbs  and 
Margaret  L.  Roberts,  Miami. 

December  24,  1911,  William  W.  Sparlin  and  Grace 
Higgenbotham,  Miami. 

Married  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Robison,  Austin  H. 
Stevens  and  Georgia  Robison. 

December  24,  1911,  Ray  E.  Vannatta  and  Cora  A. 
Summers. 

December  24,  1911,  R.  Elmer  Jackson  and  Marie 
Barnes;  both  of  Miami,  Oklahoma. 

Married  at  Blue  Jacket,  Oklahoma,  December  25, 
1911,  George  C.  Henley  and  Lola  Holder;  on  Christmas 
day. 

Married,  January  28,  1912,  Wm.  A.  Kempel  and 
Evalena  Wilber. 


138  FORTY    YEARS 

Married,  March  15,  1912,  Guy  Jenison  and  Gertrude 
Brown,  Ottawa.  He  an  Ottawa,  she  a  white  lady. 

January  i,  1912,  married  Walter  D.  Cannon  and 
Myrtle  Carmichal,  Miami. 

June  10,  1912,  married  Charley  Ricknen  and  Cora 
Wyer. 

August  13,  1912,  married  Thomas  Lankins  and  Mat- 
tie  Epps. 

Married  August  26,  1912,  C.  Earl  Allen  and  Ruth 
Edwards.  He  of  Joplin,  Missouri,  she  of  Miami. 

Married,  September,  15,  1912,  Robert  Lee  Tharp 
and  Mary  Moore.  Both  of  Miami. 

November  20,  1912,  married  Harvey  Gillespie  and 
Ada  M.  Zimmerman. 

November  27,  1912,  married  Harry  Neff  and  Ethel 
Sullivan. 

December  7,  1912,  married  Joseph  D.  Miller  and 
Mary  E.  Keller,  North  Miami. 

December  8,  1912,  married  Roy  L.  Holt  and  Elsie 
Wagner. 

December  15,  1912,  married  Herman  J,  Beck  and 
Edith  Kerns,  Both  of  Miami. 

Married  at  the  home  of  Milton  Kipps,  December  22, 
1912,  Clarence  J.  Shirly  and  Linna  Kipps. 

December  29,  1912,  married  Sylvan  S.  Shipley  and 
Grace  Webber. 

Married  at  the  home  of  John  Simpson,  November 
19,  1911,  Joseph  F.  Demo  and  Bertha  M.  McCleary,  of 
Miami,  Oklahoma. 

Married  at  the  court  house  in  Miami,  June  2,  1913, 
Joseph  R.  Harris  of  Purcell,  Missouri,  and  Emily  Boyd 
of  Wyandotte,  Oklahoma.  Live  at  Purcell. 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  139 

Married,  April  6,  1913,  Sherman  Staton  and  Beulah 
A.  Brewer;  he  a  Peoria,  she  a  white  lady. 

Married,  May  18,  1913,  Lewis  H.  Finke  and  Edna 
A.  Clark,  both  of  Miami. 

Married,  February  2,  1913,  Robert  Samples  and  Rosa 
Osborn. 

Married  at  the  home  of  the  bride,  February  2,  1913, 
Charles  P.  McGuffin  and  Mrs.  Emma  J.  Heck. 

Married  at  the  home  of  Will  Standfield,  Baxter 
Springs,  Kansas,  March  9,  1913,  Roy  E.  Dempsey  and 
Bertha  A.  Standfield. 

SPEERS-HILL    NUPTIALS 

With  the  smiling-  sun,  on  Thursday  morning:,  the 
Hon.  John  L.  Speers  appeared  on  the  streets  of  Miami,  a 
full-fledged  benedict,  as  serene  as  placid  waters  and  as 
dignified  and  majestic  as  one  royal  born. 

He  had  pulled  off  a  sensational  surprise  on  his 
friends  the  night  before,  and  was  reveling  in  their  con 
fused  smiles. 

It  happened^  this  way.  He  was  booked  to  marry 
Miss  Sarah  E.  Hill,  a  most  cheery  and  accomplished 
young  lady.  The  bride  and  groom  had  revealed  the 
secret  of  their  little  heart  affair  to  but  a  few  friends, 
while  the  larger  number  had  been  left  outside  the  ,  pale 
of  confidence.  They  had  planned  to  meet  at  the  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scott  Thompson  on  West  Fourth  street, 
in  company  with  Rev.  Jerry  Hubbard,  about  the  hour 
of  9:00  p.  m.,  while  a  large  number  of  the  city's  social 
leaders  and  personal  friends  were  responding  to  cordial 
invitations  to  gather  at  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jim 
Robards,  adjoining.  When  the  invited  guests  had  as 
sembled  and  were  settling  down  for  an  evening  of  social 


I4O  FORTY    YEARS 

enjoyment,  Rev.  Jerry  Hubbard  broke  in  upon  their 
startled  view,  but  yet  the  real  event  of  the  occasion  did 
not  occur  to  them,  for  no  function  is  quite  complete 
without  the  sunny  presence  of  the  ' 'marrying*  parson," 
so  his  advent  upon  the  scene  revealed  nothing  out  of  the 
ordinary  to  the  assembled  guests.  Closely  following  him 
came  J.  L.  Speers  and  Miss  Sara  E.  Hill,  a  little  late  'tisj 
true,  but  there  in  the  roseate  hues  of  life,  happy  smiles 
playing  upon  their  faces  and  their  cunningly  concealed 
secret  struggling  within  their  breasts. 

Not  till  they  had  lightly  tripped  across  the  room,  halt 
ed  in  front  of  the  distinguished  divine,  and  he  began  to 
say  the  words  calculated  to  blend  the  lives  and  hopes 
and  aspirations  of  the  estimable  couple,  who  stood  before 
him,  did  the  guests  begin  to  realize  that  they  were  at 
tending  a  wedding  and  sitting  within  the  sound  of  the 
solemn  ceremony  that  was  to  make  Mr.  Speers  and  Miss 
Hill  husband  and  wife. 

It  was  an  unique  plan,  adroitly  and  charmingly  car 
ried  out.  Thus  the  popular  justice  of  the  peace  submit 
ted  to  the  solemn  vows  that  he  had  exacted  from  others, 
and  seemed  to  thoroughly  enjoy  the  ordeal.  At  an  ap 
propriate  time  hilarity  and  merriment  subsided  and  all 
joined  in  a  dainty  repast  of  ice  cream  and  cake.  The 
few  who  knew  what  was  to  happen  brought  presents, 
and  all  united  in  felicitous  and  benediction  bestowals. 


The  Old  Quaker  Meeting  House 

The  following  poem  was  written  by  George  M.  Lind- 
ley,  of  New  London,  Indiana,  but  now  living  at  Law 
rence,  Kansas.      It  is  a  description  of  the  old  Quaker 
meeting  house  at  Honey  Creek,  Howard  county,  Indiana: 
Within  the  graveyard  now  so  quiet  and  still, 
Stood  the  old  meeting  house  on  the  crest  of  the  hill, 
That  sloped  to  the  east  to  a  small  ravine 
Where  two  hewn  logs  were  plainly  seen; 
These  logs  were  laid  close  side  by  side, 
Which  made  a  foot-bridge  amply  wide 
For  all  to  cross  and  get  a  drink 
From  an  old  tin  cup  that  sat  on  the  brink 
Of  a  spripg  that  never  ceased  to  flow 
As  those  athirst  went  to  and  fro. 
A  Sugar  tree  near  this  ravine 
Cast  its  shadow  o'er  the  green, 
Where  we  boys  lounged  upon  the  grass 
And  watched  the  thirsty  as  they  passed. 

Just  east  of  the  spring  the  old  house  stood, 
Where  I  went  to  school  in  my  boyhood; 
And  north  of  the  schoolhouse  a  graveyard  lay, 
Full  of  Friends  who  had  passed  away. 
Abandoned  now,  unused  for  years; 
Long  since  a  scene  of  parting  tears, 
No  monument  there,  no  mark  of  pride, 
The  rich  and  poor  lie  side  by  side; 


I~42  FORTY    YEARS 

But  here  and  there  short  marble  stones 
Marked  the  graves  of  sleeping"  loved  ones. 

The  meeting  house  yard  was  quite  a  space, 

A  five  board  fence  was  round  the  place; 

Two  gates  in  the  south  each  in  front  of  a  door, 

One  east,  one  west,  which  made  just  four. 

The  old  meeting  house  was  very  plain, 

No  vestibules,  no  window  stain; 

No  gabled  roof,  no  steeple  there, 

No  bell  to  toll  the  hour  of  prayer, 

But  when  the  hour  for  meeting  came, 

The  Friends  were  there  in  garments  plain. 

The  old  meeting  house  was  long  and  wide, 
And  many  seats  were  there  inside; 
Its  spacious  room  was  cut  in  two 
By  a  row  of  shutters  through  and  through. 
The  one  on  the  east  was  always  the  men's, 
The  one  on  the  east  was  for  women  Friends. , 
The  shutters  were  made  to  lower  and  raise, 
And  were  used  for  monthly  meeting  days. 
On  First  day  meeting  the  shutters  were  down, 
And  you  could  sit  in  your  seat  and  look  around 
All  over  this  wide  and  long  old  place 
Into  many  dear  faces  beaming  with  grace. 

Sometimes  one  hour  would  pass  away, 
And  no  one  had  a  word  to  say. 
The  voice  of  song  was  never  heard, 
But  all  'were  still  in  silent  prayer 
Waiting  for  the  spirit's  call, 
Which  seemed  to  overshadow  all. 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS 

Not  a  word  was  heard  'till  the  power  was  felt, 

And  then  our  hearts  would  often  melt 

When  some  dear  Friend  would  rise  and  tell 

How  Jesus  Christ,  who  loved  us  well, 

Would  lead  us  in  the  paths  of  right, 

As  Moses  did  the  Israelite; 

Along  the  straight  and  narrow  way, 

Wi^fe  fire  by  night  and  cloud  by  day 

If  we  would  leave  the  paths  of  sin 

Take  up  the  cross  and  follow  him. 

Many  years  since  then  have  passed  away, 
And  now  my  hair  is  mixed  with  gray; 
I  still  revere  those  dear  old  Friends, 
And  shall  until  my  earth's  life  ends. 
Beyond  the  grave  I  can  not  see, 
And  know  not  what  I  shall  be, 
But  feel  that  earnest  work  and  prayer 
Will  take  me  to  them  over  there. 


143 


The  Living  Sacrifice 

Amid  the  forest's  silent  shadows, 

Where  nature  reigns  supreme; 
A  little  band  had  met  to  hear 

The  glorious  gospel  theme. 

I  gazed  upon  the  dusky  forms 

Of  Indians  gathered  there; 
And  thought  how  once  the  red  man  owned 

These  lands  so  wide  and  fair. 

But  now  he  roams  throughout  the  plains, 

Where  once  his  father  dwelt, 
A  poor  heart-broken  wanderer, 

For  him  none  pity  felt. 

But  hark!  the  preacher's  solemn  tone, 
My  wandering  thoughts  recall; 

He  preaches  Jesus  crucified, 
Jesus,  who  died  for  all. 

He  tells  with  smiling  eloquence, 
How  the  good  Shepherd  came 

To  save  the  erring  sheep  He  loved, 
From  ruin  and  from  shame. 

He  speaks  of  sad  Gethsemane, 

Then  tells  the  eager  crowd, 
How  Jesus  Christ  was  crucified 

By  cruel  men  and  proud. 

And  as  his  word  like  forest  trees, 

Moved  by  the  rushing  blasts 
O'er  the  proud  hearts  of  these  dark  men, 

A  wondrous  change  then  passed. 


146  FORTY    YEARS 

They  wept — nature's  lone  children  wept 
At  that  sweet  tale  of  love — 

To  think  that  Jesus  died  that  they 
Might  dwell  with  Him  above. 

And  one  of  that  wild  forest's  sons 

Of  tall  and  noble  frame; 
While  tears  bedeemed  his  manly  cheek, 

Toward  the  preacher  came. 

"What?  did  the  blessed  Savior  die 
And  shed  His  blood  for  me; 

Was  it  for  my  sins  Jesus  wept, 
In  dark  Gethsemane? 

"What  can  poor  Indian  give  to  Thee 

Jesus,  for  love  like  Thine 
The  lands  my  father  once  possessed, 

Are  now  no  longer  mine. 

"Our  hunting  grounds  arc  all  upturned 
By  the  proud  white  man's  plow; 

My  rifle  and  my  dog,  alas — 
Are  my  sole  riches  now. 

"Yet  these  I  fain  would  give  to  Him 
On  calvary's  cross  who  bled; 

Will  Christ  accept  so  mean  a  gift?" 
The  stranger  shook  his  head. 

The  Indian  chief  a  moment  paused, 
And  downward  cast  his  eyes; 

Then  suddenly  from  round  his  neck, 
His  blanket  he  unties. 

"This,  with  my  rifle  and  my  dog, 

Are  all  I  have  to  give; 
Yet  these  to  Jesus  I  would  bring, 

He  died  thaf  I  might  live. 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  147 

' 'Stranger,  will  Jesus  Christ  receive 

These  tokens  of  my  love?" 
The  preacher  answered,  ' 'gifts  like  these 

Please  not  the  Lord  above." 

The  humble  child  of  ignorance, 

His  head  in  sorrow  bent; 
Absorbing  thought  unto  his  brow, 

Its  saddening  influence  lent. 

He  raised  his  head,  a  gleam  of  hope 

On  his  dark  features  passed, 
As  when  on  some  deep  streamlet  breast 

The  sun's  bright  beams  are  cast. 

His  eyes  were  filled  with  glittering  tears, 

And  eager  was  his  tone; 
"Here  is  poor  Indian,  Jesus  take 

And  make  him  all  Thine  own." 


OSCAR  CARDIN  is  A  QUAPAW    INDIAN,  34  YEARS  OLD, 
AND  LIVES  IN  MIAMI* 


Teaching  Experiences  in  the 
Indian  Territory 

My  twentieth  term  of  school  was  taught  in  the  Indi 
an  Territory,  at  the  Wyandotte  Mission.  I  went  there 
about  the  first  of  the  3rd  month,  1873.  I  was  teacher 
and  general  manager.  Went  from  home  down  to  the 
Agency,  and  the  agent  took  me  to  the  Mission.  We  got 
there  about  eleven  o'clock  and  the  children  were  all 
down  in  the  school  room.  The  object  in  taking  me  to 
the  school  room  was  that  the  children  and  I  might  be 
come  acquainted  with  each  other,  which  we  quickly  did. 
I  talked  with  them  a  little  while  and  soon  had  them  in  a 
high  state  of  merriment. 

The  children  who  attended  this  school  mission  were 
Wyandotte,  Shawnee  and  Senecas.  They  were  kept 
right  here  all  the  time,  except  once  in  a  while  when  they 
were  privileged  to  go  home  by  the  manager.  When  the 
children  went  to  the  dining  room  that  day,  one  of  the 
ladies  asked  George  Jemison,  a  Seneca,  how  he  liked 
his  new  teacher.  "Teacher  whip  George,"  he  said.  "O, 
no,  he  will  not,"  said  the  lady.  "Teacher  good  and 
kind,  and  will  not  whip  George,  if  he  is  good,"  "Ah, 
he  will  whip  George,"  persisted  the  boy.  About  a 
month  later  the  lady  said,  "Well,  George,  teacher  has 
not  whipped  you  yet,  has  he?"  "No,"  he  replied,  "but  he 
will  whip  George."  A  short  time  afterward,  as  George 
was  leaving  the  dinner  table,  he  deliberately  spit  upon 


I5O  FORTY    YEARS  f 

each  of  the  plates  as  he  passed  out.  The  matron  came 
to  the  hall  door  and  told  me  what  had  happened.  By 
this  time  he  was  out  in  the  yard,  I  stepped  to  the  door 
and  said,  "Here,  George,  we  will  go  down  to  the  school 
house."  He  understood  what  was  up.  When  we  got 
down  to  the  school  house  I  took  down  a  gad  that  I 
kept  there  for  the  purpose  of  dressing  down  those  fellows 
who  did  not  walk  the  chalk  line,  and  gave  him  a  com 
plete  tanning.  He  cried  quite  lively  for  a  little  while. 
I  asked  him  if  he  would  ever  spit  on  the  plates  again;  he 
said  no.  When  he  went  back  up  to  the  house,  Jennie 
inquired,  "Teacher  did  whip  you,  did  he?"  "Ah,  me 
know  teacher  whip  George."  "How  did  you  know  it, 
George?"  "Me  see  whip  in  his  eyes."  Jennie  laughed 
at  me  a  great  deal,  because  they  could  see  the  whip  in 
my  eye.  George  was  one  of  the  best  boys  in  the  school 
after  that. 

I  would  say  right  here  that  the  Indians  read  by  the 
eye.  I  commenced  teaching  the  next  day  after  I  got 
there,  It  was  odd  work  to  me — had  never  done  any 
thing  of  the  kind  in  my  life.  We  all  lived  here  as  one 
family;  it  was  one  school  from  four  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing  until  ten  at  night.  I  had  to  be  the  last  one  to  go  to 
bed  always.  Some  of  the  little  chaps  wanted  to  run  off, 
and  if  they  got  out  of  sight  they  would.  They  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  running  off,  both  the  young  men 
and  the  young  women.  The  man  who  was  there  before 
me  was  bothered  very  much.  I  told  the  children  I 
would  not  stand  for  their  running  away,  and  if  they  did 
there  would  be  a  settlement.  After  I  had  been  there  a 
few  days  the  head  chief  of  the  Wyandottes  was  taken 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  151 

sick.  The  Indians  believe  in  witches.  The  chief's  wife 
said  one  night  she  heard  the  witches  coming",  and  she 
awakened  the  chief  and  he  got  up  and  built  a  fire.  They 
say  that  if  you  build  a  fire  the  witches  will  leave.  In  a 
few  nights  the  witches  came  again,  she  woke  him  up 
and  again  he  built  a  fire.  Again  she  heard  the  witches 
coming  but  she  did  not  awaken  him.  They  bewitched 
him  and  in  few  days  he  died. 

The  Indians  are  divided  into  what  are  called  clans. 
The  children  are  named  after  the  clan  of  the  mother. 
Among  the  Wyandottes  there  are  the  Turtle,  Little  Tur 
tle,  Deer,  Fox,  and  various  other  clans.  It  is  a  custom 
among  them  that  when  one  of  a  clan  dies  the  men  of 
his  clan-  bury  him.  It  seemed  that  there  were  but  two 
or  three  little  boys  left  of  the  clan  of  the  chief,  so  the 
council  had  to  appoint  members  of  other  clans  to  assist 
at  the  funeral.  It  was  a  large  funeral.  Many  Indians 
were  there.  Governor  Walker,  a  Wyandotte  Indian, 
who  was  once  governor  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska  while 
they  were  territories,  delivered  a  very  interesting  address 
at  the  funeral.  After  he  finished  I  spoke  for  a  few  min 
utes,  the  governor  acting  as  interpreter  for  me.  There 
were  several  funerals  that  spring,  chiefly  of  the  older 
people,  and  I  was  often  called  on  to  address  the  people 
on  these  occasions,  always,  however,  with  the  aid  of  an 
interpreter,  for  the  Indians  insisted  on  having  everything 
spoken  interpreted  to  them.  John  W.  Greyeyes  and  my 
old  friend,  George  Wright,  were  good  interpreters. 

I  held  meeting  every  Sabbath  in  the  school  house, 
in  which  the  children  appeared  to  be  much  interested. 

One  young  man  was  in  the  habit  of  committing  to 


152  FORTY    YEARS 

memory  from  five  to  seven  chapters  of  the  New  Testa 
ment  every  week  which  he  would  repeat  to  me  in  the 
Sabbath  school. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  my  work  was  to  teach 
them  the  English  language;  it  was  a  hard  matter  to 
teach  them  even  a  letter.  I  always  had  to  have  a  little 
boy  or  girl  act  as  interpreter.  I  have  had  as  many  as 
thirty-five  in  my  card  class,  all  the  way  from  five  to 
thirty  years  of  age.  I  have  asked  them  questions  over 
and  over,  and  had  them  stand  and  stare  me  in  the  face 
and  never  crack  a  smile.  There  was  one  young  woman 
by  the  name  of  Susan  Bearskin  who  was  conspicuous 
for  this;  I  could  never  persuade  her  to  answer  my  ques 
tions.  An  Iowa  man,  who  visited  the  Agency,  said  it 
was  necessary  for  a  teacher  to  have  a  large  store  of  pat 
ience  and  charity  always  in  reserve  to  draw  from, 

After  I  got  them  so  they  could  spell  in  one  syllable 
there  was  no  more  trouble.  One  peculiar  feature  I  not 
iced  in  these  people  was,  they  seldom  if  ever  made  any 
mistakes  in  emphasis  or  inflection;  they  seem  to  acquire 
a  correct  idea  of  these  naturally. 

Our  white  children  are  taught  too  much  baby  talk 
when  they  are  young,  and  the  teacher  finds  it  harder  to 
unlearn  them  than  to  teach  them  in  the  first  place.  I 
never  saw  children  learn  to  read  so  fast  after  they  had 
learned  to  spell  as  these  Indians  did.  They  learn  to  talk 
very  much  by  motions  and  gestures.  The  children  loved 
to  sing  and  enjoyed  our  evening  meetings  very  much. 
There  was  one  little  Seneca  Indian  whom  I  had  to  hold 
every  evening  while  going  from  the  school  house  to  the 
boarding  house,  to  keep  him  from  running  away.  If  I 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  153 

ever  forgot  him,  he  was  sure  to  run  away.  One  night  he 
succeeded  in  getting  out  of  sight,  and  though  strict  and 
diligent  search  was  made  in  and  around  the  mission,  he 
was  nowhere  to  be  found.  Next  morning  at  day  break 
he  appeared  at  the  door  of  his  father's  house,  some  five 
miles  distant.  One  day  he  hid  out  under  some  brush, 
like  an  old  turkey  hen  hiding  her  nest. 

As  I  have  said,  there  were  Wyandotte,  Shawnee  and 
Senecas  at  the  mission,  and  we  had  to  exercise  care  to 
get  children  of  the  same  tribe  together  in  a  bed,  for  if 
children  of  different  tribes  were  put  together,  there  was 
sure  to  be  a  fight.  For  this  reason  I  had  to  be  the  last 
to  go  to  bed;  I  usually  waited  till  all  was  quiet,  and 
then  retired.  One  night  I  went  down  to  my  room  and 
laid  down  with  my  clothes  on,  leaving  the  doors  open 
between  us;  I  had  scarcely  laid  down  when  I  heard  a 
terrible  racket  among  the'  boys,  I  knew  in  a  minute 
some  of  them  were  fighting  and  hurried  up  stairs.  By 
this  time  there  was  a  general  outcry  of  "give  it  to  him! 
give  it  to  him!"  As  soon  as  I  could  reach  the  bed  I 
said,  "yes,  give  it  to  him."  Instantly  all  was  as  still  as 
death.  I  made  one  grab,  caught  one  of  the  boys,  haul 
ed  him  out  of  bed  and  .paddled  him  nicely;  when  I  got 
through  with  him  I  grabbed  for  the  other  boy,  who  was 
crouching  behind  me,  caught  him  by  the  top  of  the  head 
and  gave  him  a  very, nice  warming.  "Now  boys,"  I  said, 
"get  back  into  bed;  and  if  I  hear  any  more  noise  tonight, 
I  will  get  a  gad  and  wear  it  out  on  you."  A  man  who 
was  engaged  in  breaking  prairie  slept  above,  and  he  told 
me  next  morning  the  boys  could  not  have  been  more 
quiet  the  remainder  of  the  night  if  they  had  been  shot. 


154  FORTY    YEARS 

This  disturbance  was  caused  by  putting  a  Wyandotte 
and  Seneca  in  the  same  bed. 

There  was  an  Indian  in  the  neighborhood  who  had 
accompanied  John  C.  Fremont  on  his  trip  to  California 
in  1849,  and  his  description  of  the  journey,  and  the  pri 
vations  endured  by  the  men,  was  most  terrible.  He  said 
they  became  so  reduced  as  to  be  forced  to  kill  and  eat 
their  mules,  drinking"  the  blood  and  eating  the  flesh, 
and  toward  the  last  were  obliged  to  subsist  on  buckskin 
gloves,  and  thought  these  quite  a  luxury.  After  many 
weary  months  of  hardship  and  starvation,  they  reached 
California  so  weak  and  emaciated  as  to  be  scarcely  able 
to  lift  a  chair  from  the  floor.  They  had  to  be  fed  on  a 
spoonful  of  mush  and  milk  at  a  time,  until  they  were 
able  to  eat  more  without  danger  to  their  lives.  This 
gentleman  told  me  no  one  who  had  not  been  starved 
could  have  any  conception  of  the  suffering  endured. 

I  spent  five  months  very  pleasantly  with  the  Indians. 
The  Wyandottes  named  me  Te-ya-we-da-ya,  meaning 
two  islands  or  rocks.  They  always  name  everyone 
who  comes  among  them.  We  had  in  the  school  Ida 
Mudeater,  Elizabeth  Choplog,  Margaret  Splitlog,  Susan 
Bearskin,  Susan  Swahas,  and  many  other  odd  names. 

All  the  Indian  children  like  to  smoke,  and  when  they 
went  home  they  usually  brought  back  a  pipe  and  tobac 
co,  which  they  hid  near  the  mission,  and  then  there  was 
great  glee  among  them.  I  had  to  be  very  watchful  to 
keep  them  from  this  vice.  One  evening  I  was  chop 
ping  wood,  and  I  noticed  several  of  the  little  ones  look 
ing  at  me  with  one  eye.  When  an  Indian  looks  at  you 
with  one  eye  you  may  be  sure  they  are  up  to  mischief. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  155 

I  kept  ray  eyes  on  them,  and  pretty  soon  I  saw  a  little 
fellow  peeping"  around  the  school  house  at  me  with  one 
eye.  I  gathered  up  the  wood  and  carried  it  in,  and 
then  stood  carelessly  in  the  doorway  to  await  develop 
ments.  Directly  a  half  dozen  of  them  ran  up  the  hill 
and  over  to  the  other  side.  As  soon  as  they  were  out 
of  sight,  I  went  round  another  way  and  came  upon 
them.  When  they  saw  me  they  slid  down  a  steep  em 
bankment  into  Lost  Creek,  crossed  over  and  hid  in  the 
brush.  A  search  soon  revealed  a  pipe  and  some  tobacco 
which  I  gathered  up  and  took  to  the  mission.  I  did  not 
let  on  that  anything  had  happened. 

To  a  person  that  does  not  like  to  be  with  Indians,  it 
would  be  a  severe  punishment  to  be  forced  to  teach 
them;  but  I  loved  them,  and  made  many  friends  among 
them.  I  could  go  to  their  homes  and  sit  and  talk  with 
them,  and  they  were  pleased  to  have  me  come.  Oh,  how 
much  these  poor,  despised  people  have  been  wronged. 
Wicked  men  have  gone  among  them  and  cheated  and 
abused  them,  and  then  told  lies  about  them.  If  the  In 
dian  is  treated  with  kindness  he  is  a  true  friend,  but  if 
he  is  abused  he  is  a  dangerous  enemy. 

I  attended  one  of  their  green  corn  feasts  one  August, 
which  is  one  of  their  annual  feasts.  This  was  a  Wyan- 
dotte  feast,  but  was  participated  in  by  many  of  the  other 
tribes  by  invitation,  and  several  hundred  people  were 
present.  They  drove  stakes  in  the  ground  and  placed 
hickory  strips  across  them;  then  they  started  a  wood  fire 
and  when  it  had  burned  down  to  coals  the  meat  was 
placed  'on  the  hickory  strips  and  left  to  broil.  Bread, 
beef  and  venison  was  all  they  had  to  eat,  this  being  a 


156  FORTY    YEARS 

dry  year,  and  there  being:  no  green  corn.  When  the 
meats  and  bread  were  cooked  they  were  brought  around 
to  us  in  baskets.  We  had  each  provided  ourselves  with  a 
three-pronged  stick,  and  on  the  sharp  points  was  stuck 
a  large  piece  of  each — beef,  venison  and  bread.  I  never 
ate  so  much  in  one  day  as  T  did  on  this  occasion.  Any 
person  who  has  eaten  jerked  venison  knows  that  it  is 
good.  It  was  a  day  of  enjoyment  for  all.  Whitetree,  a 
big  man  among  the  Senecas,  made  a  short  but  enthusi 
astic  speech.  He  was  dressed  in  the  aboriginal  costume; 
he  did  not  like  the  dress  of  the  white  man.  He  was  a 
tall  and  portly  looking  man.  Several  short  speeches 
were  made. 

This  was  the  time  for  naming  all  those  who  had  been 
adopted  into  the  tribe  during  the  past  year,  as  well  as 
all  the  infants  who  had  been  born.  Thomas  Mannucue 
was  the  old  man  who  did  the  naming  for  the  Wyandottes; 
he  would  take  the  little  ones  in  his  arms  and  go  over  a 
rigmarole,  then  the  Indians  said  something  and  laughed 
heartily.  After  they  got  through  with  this  they  put  a 
small  log  in  a  ring,  and  then  you  heard  a  yell  that  would 
make  your  hair  stand  up  on  your  head,  if  you  had  any; 
then  an  Indian  jumped  into  the  ring  with  two  turtle 
shells  fastened  together,  with  a  quantity  of  corn  between 
them  and  a  stick  fastened  to  them,  and  commenced 
humming  something  and  pounding  the  log,  which,  with 
the  rattling  of  the  corn,  made  quite  a  noise.  After  this 
fellow  had  hummed  for  a  few  moments,  another  Indian 
jumped  into  the  ring;  he  was  painted  all  over;  he  yelled, 
and  commenced  to  jump  and  dance  about;  then  "the  men 
jumped  into  the  ring  one  after  another  until  they  formed 


AMONG   THE    INDIANS  157 

a  circle  twenty  feet  across.  The  women  then  formed  a 
ring  between  the  men  and  the  man  with  the  shells.  They 
now  jumped  and  yelled  and  had  a  good  time  among 
themselves.  This  sport  generally  lasted  until  day-break, 
when  they  scattered  and  went  home  to  sleep. 

Every  other  day  I  used  to  take  the  boys  to  the  river 
to  bathe.  It  was  a  novel  sight  to  see  these  little  fellows 
taking  to  the  water  like  so  many  ducks,  for  they  appear 
ed  to  be  as  much  at  home  in  the  water  as  though  they 
were  ducks. 

The  Fourth  of  July  of  this  year  the  Peoria  Indians 
gave  a  great  dinner,  and  invited  the  surrounding  tribes 
to  come  and  partake  of  their  hospitality.  They  made  a 
large  arbor,  covered  it  with  brush,  and  constructed  a 
table  in  the  form  of  a  ring  on  which  was  placed  the  vict 
uals.  The  people  stood  up  around  the  outside  of  this 
table.  After  dinner  there  were  some  speeches  made  by 
the  big  Indians.  Governor  Walker  spoke  first,  and 
Judge  Win,  the  chief  of  the  Ottawas,  followed  him.  Here 
are  some  of  his  words: 

"This  was  the  way  of  living  when  I  was  young.  My 
parents  kept  me  in  the  Indian  faith  and  belief;  in  this 
way  they  raised  me  from  a  boy;  my  parents  shaved  my 
head.  Old  people  followed  that  way  at  that  time.  When 
I  was  twenty  years  of  age  I  chose  for  myself;  I  chose 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  to  serve  Him  while  I  live;  I 
left  off  all  these  old  customs  and  now  I  live  better;  this 
is  a  fine  country,  and  we  make  good  homes  by  working 
and  maintaining  ourselves;  my  friend  Walker,  of  the 
Okmulgee  council,  we  must  attend  to.  Indian  afraid  of 
tax — afraid  of  those  things  that  white  men  have;  if  we 


158  FORTY    YEARS 

would  all  cultivate  the  land,  we  would  be  happy  at 
home.  Work  is  the  success  of  the  white  man.  We  are 
made  like  the  white  man,  why  should  we  not  do  as  well? 
Why  does  the  white  man  make  good  citizen?  because 
he  is  faithful  to  work  his  farm  of  forty  or  eighty  acres. 
My  Indians  here  all  do  as  white  man  does — attend  one 
farm,  take  care  of  one  family;  this  is  right.  The  Indians 
like  to  dress  like  white  man,  do  as  white  man  does,  and 
eat  as  white  man  eats.  Not  fifty  years,  and  Indian  wo 
men  will  have  red  ribbons  tied  around  their  necks  and 
all  the  fads  of  fashion.  Late  years,  Indians  are  not  con 
tented  unless  they  have  every  new  figure  in  calico. 
Young  Indian  starch  their  shirts.  •  Only  one  thing  lack 
ing  with  Indian — afraid  work!  This  is  the  only  mode 
or  success.  No  hunting  in  the  forests  for  us  now.  By 
work  we  will  grow  in  knowledge  among  men  and  all  the 
different  tribes.  Ten  years,  and  the  Ottawa  language 
will  not  be.  I  tell  you  these  things;  remember  them. 
Quit  all  evil;  quit  all  things  that  are  not  right,  and  quit 
all  bad  habits.  Love  will  come  in.  Put  your  trust  in 
the  Great  Spirit  and  labor,  then  we  will  be  blessed  in  all 
our  undertakings.  This  is  all  I  am  going  to  say/' 

There  were  many  similar  speeches  made  that  day. 
Since  then  Judge  Winn  has  died  and  lies  buried  in  the 
Ottawa  burying  ground  in  a  sepulcher  of  hewn  rock, 
prepared  for  him  by  the  hands  of  his  loving  friends.  He 
was  a  good  man.  Many  have  fallen  since  that  dinner. 
Major  Battese,  a  Peoria  chief,  spoke  that  day,  he  has 
fallen.  Governor  Walker  has  also  gone.  They  are  go 
ing  very  fast.  That  day  of  the  Fourth  will  long  be  re 
membered  by  the  survivers  of  that  time. 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  I5Q 

My  school  progressed  nicely,  It  was  quite  interest 
ing:  to  see  the  children  at  the  table.  Those  of  one  size 
would  sit  at  one  table,  and  those  of  another  size  at 
another.  One  morning  I  got  up  early,  went  out  doors 
and  looking"  up  saw  the  roof  of  the  house  covered  with 
Indian  boys.  It  was  so  warm  they  had  taken  their 
blankets  and  crawled  out  on  the  roof  to  keep  cool.  They 
were  very  sly  in  their  moving"  about. 

I  believe  it  would  be  right  to  insert  just  here  a  part 
of  Laurie  Tatum's  report  of  the  Indian  Missions,  for 
the  year  1878: 

"From  the  Osages,  I  went  to  the  Quapaw  agency,  a 
ride  of  about  one  hundred  miles.  This  is  under  the  care 
of  Hiram  W.  Jones.  In  it  there  are  four  schools.  The 
first  one  visited  was  the  Quapaw  and  Modoc  mission 
school,  under  the  care  of  Emeline  Tuttle,  contractor. 
Through  the  winter  she  had  fifty-six  scholars,  two  teach 
ers  and  six  other  helpers.  Twelve  girls  over  twelve 
years  of  age,  who  assisted  in  all  the  household  duties, 
mending,  knitting  and  sewing.  The  boys,  assist  in  the 
garden.  Here  was  a  school  where  the  contractor  had  a 
good,  religious  experience,  who  with  her  husband,  Asa 
C.  Tuttle,  and  several  of  their  employes,  taught  the  gos 
pel  to  their  children;  several  of  them  appear  to  have 
been  converted.  Among  them  a  Modoc  boy,  Samuel 
Modoc,  who,  when  he  commenced  school,  was  very  con 
trary,  high  tempered  and  pugnacious.  About  two  years 
after  he  began  school  he  was  brought  under  deep  con 
demnation  for  sin.  One  night,  after  retiring  to  bed,  be 
ing  under  condemnation,  he  arose,  dressed,  and  went 
out  upon  a  hill,  and  in  repentence  prayed  to  God  for 


l6o  .  FORTY    YEARS 

pardon.  He  found  peace,  and  he  has  since  been  a  very 
different  boy.  He  told  me  that  he  often  yielded  to 
temptation  to  sin,  and  again  went  to  God  for  pardon 
before  he  found  peace.  That  day,  while  I  was  there  vis 
iting-  the  school,  he  was  somewhat  sulky,  which  he 
thought  would  not  have  been  the  case  had  he  prayed  in 
the  morning  as  he  usually  did. 

"The  Ottawa  Mission  School  was  formerly  taught 
by  Asa  and  Emeline  Tuttle.  When  they  commenced 
their  Christian  and  literary  labors  in  this  tribe  there  were 
but  two  of  the  men  who  were  not  adicted  to  the  use  of 
intoxicating  liquors.  The  present  school  contractor, 
Francis  King,  frequently  became  intoxicated.  He,  and 
many  of  the  Indians  have,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  these  active  Christians,  become  converted.  They  have 
ceased  drinking  and  are  leading  very  different  lives. 

"The  influence  of  these  Friends  extended  to  the  neigh 
boring  tribes.  A  marked  instance  that  I  heard  of  was 
Baptiste  Peoria,  the  chief  of  the  Peorias.  He  quit  his 
drinking  habits  and  urged  his  people  to  become  temper 
ate,  and  expressed  to  some  of  his  friends  that  he  wished 
to  die  a  Christian.  When  taken  sick  writh  the  pneumo 
nia  he  was  visited  by  Francis  King,  who  reminded  him 
of  his  wish  to  die  a  Christian,  adding.  'There  is  yet  hope 
for  you.'  Taking  his  friend  by  the  hand,  he  said,  'Is 
that  so?'  'Yes,'  replied  his  friend,  'Christ  came  to  save 
sinners,  and  if  you  repent  and  ask  him  to  forgive  you, 
He  will  hear  you.'  He  did  repent,  ask  and  find  forgive 
ness.  The  next  day  he  had  the  principal  men  of  his 
tribe  to  go  to  his  room,  whom  he  urged  to  quit  their 
drinking  habits  and  other  wicked  ways,  go  to  the  Lord 


AMONG  THE    INDIANS  l6l 

in  repentance  and  embrace  the  Christian  religion,  which 
he  had  accepted  and  which  then  made  him  happy  in  the 
Lord.  He  died  a  Christian,  as  he  desired;  but  how  much 
better  it  would  have  been  had  he  also  lived  a  Christian." 

I  have  put  this  piece  in  here  to  show  what  two  good, 
active  Christian  workers,  such  as  Asa  C.  and  Emeline 
Tuttle,  have  done  for  the  poor  Indians.  There  has 
many  a  heart  been  bound  up  by  their  faithful  hands; 
many  a  poor  Indian  has  been  helped  in  more  ways  than 
one  by  them.  They  were  always  doing  something-  to 
help  them  along.  Oh,  that  all  the  workers  who  are 
among  the  Indians  were  such. 

There  was  one  good  feature  about  those  Indians; 
they  were  always  still  and  quiet  while  in  the  school 
room.  The  boys  and  girls,  when  they  got  so  they  could 
read,  would  study  every  minute  there  was.  One  boy, 
by  the  name  of  Henry  Stand,  a  Seneca,  was  the  best 
worker  I  ever  had  in  my  school.  When  they  got 
so  they  could  write  on  their  slates  they  would  keep 
one  busy  writing  copy.  I  went  up  to  my  home  in  Mis 
souri  while  I  was  teaching,  and  told  the  children  I  want 
ed  them  to  all  be  good  while  I  was  gone.  This  is  a  copy 
of  a  letter  one  of  the  boys  wrote  when  I  got  back  to  the 
Mission: 

"William  Jackson  Fish  has  been  a  very  good  boy 
while  you  were  away.  I  mind  all  is  here.  I  have  go 
home  Saturday.  I  come  back  in  the  evening.  All  the 
children  mind  what  they  tell. 

JEREMIAH   HUBBARD. 

"Wyandotte  Mission." 

My  school  was  a  very  nice  school,  I  thought.    There 


l62  FORTY    YEARS 

was  one  young-  woman  who  often  assisted  me  in  the 
school  room,  She  was  a  fine  looking  Indian  and  a  good 
girl.  Many  of  those  Indian  children  have  a  very  warm 
place  in  my  heart.  I  never  in  all  my  life  spent  a  few 
months  so  pleasantly,  and  when  I  left  them  they  were 
all  sorry.  My  memory  often  turns  back  to  them  among1 
the  trees  and  on  the  prairies.  There  was  one  little  In 
dian  by  the  name  of  Tommy  Fish,  an  orphan.  I  was 
talking  to  some  of  them  about  the  Lord;  how  he  would 
take  care  of  all  those  that  love  Him.  Tommy  thought 
there  would  be  nobody  to  take  care  of  him.  He  said: 
"Do  the  Lord  see  Tommy  in  the  night?"  "Yes,"  said  I, 
"He  will  hold  us  in  His  arms  and  carry  us  in  His  bos 
om,"  The  little  fellow's  eyes  sparkled  as  I  was  thus 
talking  to  them.  He  has  since  then  gone  to  his  long- 
home,  where  I  hope  to  meet  him  again  in  the  world  of 
glory.  My  school  closed  very  pleasantly. 

JOHN  JANKTN'S 'SERMON 

The  minister  said  last  night,  says  he, 

"Don't  be  afraid  of  givin'; 
If  your  life  aint  nothin'  to  other  folks, 

Why,  what's  the  use  o'  livin'?" 
And  that's  what  I  say  to  my  wife,  says  I, 

There's  Brown,  the  miserable  sinner! 
He'd  sooner  a  beggar  would  starve,  than  give 

A  cent  toward  buyin'  his  dinner. 

I  tell  you,  our  minister's  prime,  he  is; 

But  I  couldn't  quite  determine, 
When  I  heard  him  a  givin'  it  right  and  left, 

Just  who  was  hit  by  his  sermon. 
Of  course  there  couldn't  be  any  mistake 

When  he  talked  of  long-winded  prayin'; 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  163 

For  Peters  and  Johnson,  they  sot  an'  scowled 
At  every  word  he  was  sayin'. 

And  the  minister  he  went  on  to  say: 

"There's  various  kinds  o'  cheatin'; 
And  religion's  as  good  for  every  day 

As  it  is  to  bring"  to  meetin'! 
I  don't  think  much  of  a  man  who  gives 

The  Lord  'amens'  at  my  preachin', 
And  spends  his  time  the  followin'  week 

In  cheatin'  and  overreachin'." 

I  guess  that  dose  was  bitter  enough 

For  a  man  like  Jones  to  swaller; 
But  I  notice  he  didn't  open  his  mouth 

But  once,  after  that,  to  holler. 
Hurrah!  says  I,  for  the  minister — 

Of  course,  I  said  it  quiet — 
Give  us  some  more  of  this  open  talk; 

It's  very  refreshing  diet. 

The  minister  hit  'em  every  time; 

And  when  he  spoke  of  fashion, 
And  a  riggin'  out  in  bows  and  things 

As  woman's  rulin'  passion, 
And  a  comin'  to  church  to  see  the  styles, 

And,  nudgin'  my  wife,  says  I,  "That's  you," 
And  I  guess  I  sot  her  to  thinkin'. 

Says  I  to  myself,  that  sermon's  pat, 

But  man  is  a  queer  creation; 
And  I'm  much  afraid  that  most  of  folks 

Won't  take  the  application. 
Now  if  he  had  said  a  word  about 

My  personal  mode  of  sinnin' 
I'd  have  gone  to  work  to  right  myself, 

And  not  set  here  a  grinnin'. 

Just  then  the  minister  said,  says  he, 


164  FORTY    YEARS 

"And  now  I've  come  to  the  fellers 
Who've  lost  this  shower  by  usin'  their  friends 

As  sort  of  moral  umbrellers. 
Go  home,"  says  he,  "and  find  your  faults, 

Instead  of  huntin'  your  brother's; 
Go  home,"  says  he,  "and  wear  your  coat? 

You've  tried  to  fit  for  others." 

My  wife,  she  nudged,  and  Brown,  he  winked, 
And  there  was  lots  of  smilin', 

And  lots  a  lookin'  at  our  pew 
it  sot  my  blood  a  bilin.' 


ON  KINDNESS 

A  little  word  in  kindness  spoken, 

A  motion  or  a  tear, 
Has  often  healed  the  heart  that's  broken 

And  made  a  friend  sincere. 

A  word',  a  look,  has  crushed  to  earth, 

Full  many  a  budding-  flower, 
Which,  had  a-smile  but  owned  its  birth, 

Would  bless  life's  latest  hour. 

Then  deem  it  not  an  idle  thing, 

A  pleasant  word  to  speak, 
The  face  you  wear,  the  thoughts  you  bring, 

A  heart  may  heal  or  break. 


It  chills  my  blood  to  hear  the  bles't  Supreme 
Rudely  appealed  to  on  each  trifling  theme. 
Maintain  your  rank,  vulgarity  despise, 
To  swear  is  neither  great,  polite  or  wise; 
You  would  not  swear  upon  a  bed  of  death, 
Reflect,  your  Maker  could  stop  your  breath. 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  l6$ 

INDIANS'  BELIEF 

The  Indians'  belief  concerning;  a  God  is,  that  there  is 
a  great  and  good  Spirit,  who  is  omnipotent,  omniscient, 
omnipresent,  the  creator  of  every  thing  that  is  good; 
but  that  he  never  had  anything  to  do  with  evil,  nor 
could,  for  it  was  contrary  to  his  nature;  that  he  has  not 
only  made  man  intelligent,  but  has,  in  infinite  mercy, 
given  him  a  portion  of  his  own  good  Spirit,  to  preserve 
him  from  all  evil,  and  instruct  him  in  everything  that  is 
proper  to  be  done;  that  from  this  source  arises  man's 
accountability,  and,  that  he  will  receive  a  reward  in  ex 
act  proportion  to  his  works,  whether  good  or  evil.  They 
also  believe  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  future  re 
wards  and  punishments,  and  a  perpetual  judgment-seat 
in  the  mind,  which  is  always  accusing  or  justifying  us 
for  our  conduct;  that  heaven  is  a  place  inexpressibly  de 
lightful,  where  the  good  will  live  with  the  Great  Spirit 
eternally.  Their  idea  is,  that  the  passage,  or  bridge,  that 
leads  to  this  happy  place,  is  not  broader  than  a  hair  or 
the  edge  of  a  knife;  yet  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in  the 
good  passing  it,  for  angels  meet  them  and  conduct  them 
over;  they  also  believe,  that  beneath  this  narrow  passage 
there  is  a  dark  and  horrible  pit,  full  of  every  loathsome 
and  tormenting  disease,  where  the  wicked  are  forever 
punished;  that  when  the  wicked  attempt  to  cross  this 
bridge  there  is  no  help  afforded  them,  and  they  therefore 
fall  into  it  and  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  get  out 
again. 

THE  PERSONAL  APPEARANCE  OF  JESUS 
In  a  letter  written  by  Publius  Lentulus,  President  of 


l66  FORTY    YEARS 

Judea,  and  sent  by  him  to  the  Senate  of  Rome,  about 
the  time  when  the  fame  of  Jesus  began  to  be  spread 
abroad  in  the  world,  he  says: 

"There  lives  at  this  time  in  Judea,  a  man  of  singular 
virtue,  whose  name  is  Jesus  Christ,  whom  the  barbarians 
esteem  a  prophet,  but  his  own  followers  adore  him  as 
the  offspring:  of  the  Immortal  God.  He  calls  back  the 
dead  from  their  graves,  and  heals  all  sorts  of  disease 
with  a  word  or  touch.  He  is  tall  and  well  .shaped,  of  an 
amiable,  reverent  aspect;  his  hair  of  a  color  that  can 
hardly  be  matched,  falling  in  graceful  curls  below  his 
ears  and  very  agreeably  touching  his  shoulders — parted 
on  his  crown  like  the  Nazarity.  His  forehead  is  large 
and  smooth;  his  cheeks  without  other  spot  save  that  of 
a  lovely  red;  his  nose  and  mouth  formed  with  exquisite 
symmetry;  his  beard  thick,  and  of  a  color  suitable  to  the 
hair  of  his  head,  reaching  an  inch  below  his  chin,  and 
parting  in  the  middle  like  a  fork;  his  eyes  bright,  clear 
and  serene.  He  rebukes  with  majesty,  counsels  with 
mildness;  his  whole  address,  whether  in  wrord  or  deed, 
being  elegant  and  grave.  No  man  has  seen  him  laugh  at 
any  time,  but  he  has  wept  frequently." 


AN  INDIAN  MEETING 

A  good  many  years  ago  I  was  holding  an  all-day 
meeting  in  the  woods  with  the  Quapaw  Indians.  We 
had  no  seats  out  in  the  woods  in  the  afternoon  meeting, 
the  Indians  sitting  on  the  ground.  I  had  been  preach 
ing  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  when  a  rain  set  in.  As  long 
as  my  audience  remained  quiet  it  was  not  necessary  to 
dismiss,  so  I  continued  my  discourse.  It  rained  through- 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  167 

out  the  meeting,  or  until  we  were  about  ready  to  an 
nounce  its  dismissal.  During  the  meeting  the  Indians 
did  not  move  and  were  as  unconcerned  as  though  noth 
ing  was  happening.  At  its  close  we  all  shook  hands  and 
went  home.  I  doubt  very  much  if  white  folks  would 
have  remained  quiet  under  similar  circumstances.  My 
experience  with  Indians  is  that  they  are  the  stillest  peo 
ple  on  earth  during  meeting.  The  meetings  held  in  the 
woods  and  on  the  side  of  the  hills  have  been  among  my 
best  meetings. 

THE  EFFECT  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

When  we  first  came  among  the  Indians  they  would 
not  have  anything  to  do  with  other  tribes.  I  remember 
after  we  had  held  meetings  among  the  different  tribes 
that  at  one  of  our  monthly  meetings  there  were  sitting 
on  one  bench  men  from  six  different  tribes,  and  as  they 
arose,  one  by  one,  and  told  the  same  story  of  friendliness 
and  sociability  one  could  but  enquire,  "What  had  made 
the  change?"  There  was  but  one  answer,  the  love  of 
God  in  their  souls. 

I  was  traveling  at  one  time  in  the  east  and  was  tell 
ing  one  night  at  a  meeting  1  was  attending  of  our  living 
in  the  woods,  never  locking  a  door  and  our  flour  chest 
sat  on  the  porch  and  not  a  dust  of  it  was  taken  except 
what  we  took  ourselves.  A  lady,  who  had  heard  me 
speak,  could  not  sleep  that  night  for  thinking  of  my 
family  out  west,  in  the  woods  and  among  the  Indians, 
so  she  came  to  me  the  next  morning  and  told  me  she 
could  not  sleep.  I  told  her  not  to  worry,  as  my  family 
was  perfectly  safe  there  among  the  Indians,  who  were 
very  dear  to  our  hearts. 


l68  FORTY    YEARS 

FUNERALS 

In  the  past  forty  years  I  have  attended  a  great  many 
funerals  in  a  radius  of  eighty  miles  of  our  home  here  at 
Miami,  Oklahoma.  I  attended  one  funeral  that  I  was 
g-one  from  home  three  days  in  going1,  attendfng  the  fun 
eral  and  returning  home  again.  I  have  attended  some 
thing  over  two  thousand  funerals  in  the  past  forty  years. 

When  the  Modocs  were  brought  to  the  Indian  Ter 
ritory  they  burned  their  dead  with  everything  the  person 
had.  They  would  build  a  log  heap,  lay  the  corpse  upon 
it  with  all  it  had  possessed  in  life,  set  fire  to  the  heap 
and  the  watchers  would  care  for  it  night  and  day  until 
it  was  entirely  consumed.  After  they  arrived  in  the  Ter 
ritory  the  government  put  a  stop  to  this  practice  and 
furnished  them  with  neat  pine  coffins.  After  a  time  the 
Modocs  observed  that  the  whites  buried  their  dead  more 
elaborately  and  nothing  would  do  but  that  they  must 
follow  suit,  so  they  would  take  up  a  collection  every 
time  a  member  of  the  tribe  died  and  secured  a  coffin 
more  or  less  elaborate  according  to  the  size  of  the  col 
lection. 

When  the  old  chief  of  the  Ponca  Indians  died  south 
of  Baxter  Springs,  Kansas,  in  the  Indian  Territory,  they 
set  him  up  like  he  was  sitting  in  a  chair,  dug  a  hole  for 
his  feet,  placed  a  half  gallon  can  filled  with  water  and 
some  bread  by  his  side,  then  built  a  little  house  some 
eight  feet  square  over  him,  and  that  was  a  way  mark  for 
a  long  time.  It  used  to  be  quite  lonely  in  traveling  over 
these  broad  prairies  in  those  days;  but  when  we  could 
see  the  old  chief's  house  in  the  distance  we  could  always 
tell  where  we  were. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  l6g 

There  is  one  grave  in  the  south  part  of  the  Wyan- 
clotte  Reserve  where  a  lone  Indian  sleeps  by  the  name 
of  Daniel  Jack.  He  could  call  by  name  nearly  every 
shrub  and  bush  in  his  neighborhood,  and  also  its  med 
icinal  value.  He  would  show  me  what  a  little  bird  would 
defend  her  young"  with  when  it  discovered  a  snake  in  the 
act  of  stealing  her  eggs  or  young  by  picking  up  a  twig 
or  leaf  and  dropping  it  in  the  nest.  He  also  demon 
strated  to  me  that  a  dog  bitten  by  a  mad  dog  will  not 
go  mad  if  he  can  find  a  certain  weed  to  eat  and  which  a 
dog,  that  is,  an  Indian's  dog,  well  knows. 

MARRIAGES 

I  have  kept  a  record  of  the  marriages  I  performed 
for  the  past  thirty  years;  before  that  have  no  record. 
For  many  years  in  the  Indian  Territory  there  were  no 
licenses,  so  I  married  them  and  gave  them  a  certificate. 
My  record  book  has  been  brought  into  court  on  several 
different  occasions  to  prove  whether  couples  were  mar 
ried  or  not,  there  being  no  way  of  keeping  records  of 
marriages  previous  to  the  present  license  law.  For  the 
year  ign  we  counted  the  marriages  performed,  I  calling 
off  and  my  wife  numbering  them,  and  we  found  that  I 
had  married  during  the  year  one  hundred  and  eighteen 
couples. 

In  this  book  have  given  the  names  of  a  few  of  the 
many  that  I  have  married  who  live  in  this  section  of  the 
country.  From  the  record  we  have  kept  and  those  we 
can  remember  previous  to  that  time,  we  find  that  I  have 
married  about  three  thousand  couple. 

At  one  wedding  I  performed  at  seven  o'clock  at  night, 


170  FORTY    YEARS 

they  had  a  supper  of  corn  bread,  fat  meat,  cabbage,  po 
tatoes  and  strong  coffee.  They  thought  they  must  have 
supper,  and  sure  enough  they  did.  I  think  that  I  have 
been  blessed  of  the  Lord  in  being  able  to  eat  everything 
that  came  along.  If  it  was  nothing  but  a  cold  biscuit 
and  piece  of  meat  I  ate  it  with  a  relish. 

When  I  told  one  couple  I  was  marrying  to  join  their 
right  hands  they  were  so  embarrassed  they  joined  their 
left  hands.  At  another  wedding  when  I  got  the  couple 
all  ready,  the  lady  spoke  up  and  said,  "I  want  you  to 
distinctly  understand  that  you  are  not  to  say  that  I  am 
to  obey,  because  I  shall  not  do  it."  I  never  let  on  that 
she  had  said  a  word.  A  great  many  different  experi 
ences  we  have  in  this  kind  of  work. 

THE  UNBARRED  DOOR 
When  on  Columbia's  eastern  plains 

Still  roamed  the  forest  child, 
And  new  homes  of  Europe's  sons 

Were  rising  in  the  wild. 

Upon  a  clearing  in  the  woods, 

Amos  had  built  his  cot, 
And  tilled  his  little  farm,  and  lived 

Contented  with  his  lot. 

A  just,  peace-loving  man  was  he, 

Kind  unto  all  and  true; 
And  well  his  ever  open  door 

The  wandering  Indian  knew. 

But  often  were  the  settler's  lands 

By  force  or  fraud  obtained, 
And  in  the  red  man,  dispossessed, 

Revenge  alone  remained. 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS 

And  around  the  blazing  fire  of  log's, 
When  winter  nights  were  cold, 

To  shuddering  listeners,  dreadful  tales 
Of  Indian  raids  were  told. 

But  Amos  feared  not,  though  his  home 

All  undefended  lay; 
And  still  his  never-bolted  door 

Was  open  night  and  day. 

One  morn  a  neighbor  passed  in  haste — 
"Indians,  they  say,  are  nigh, 

So,  Amos,  bar  your  door  tonight, 
And  keep  your  powder  dry," 

"Nay,  friend,"  he  said,  "the  God  I  serve 

Commands  me  not  to  kill; 
And  sooner  would  I  yield  my  life 

Than  disobey  His  will. 

"One  gun  have  I,  but  used  alone 

Against  the  wolf  or  bear; 
To  point  it  at  my  fellow  man, 

My  hand  would  never  dare. 

"But  I  will  put  the  thing  away: 

They  shall  not  see  it  here; 
For  the  old  gun,  in  hands  unskilled, 

Might  do  some  harm,  I  fear. 

"Besides,  the  Indians  are  my  friends — 

They  would  not  do  me  ill; 
Here  they  have  found  an  open  door, 

And  they  shall  find  it  still." 

"Well,"  said  the  neighbor,  as  he  went, 

"My  faith  is  not  so  clear; 
If  wretches  come  to  take  my  life, 

I  mean  to  sell  it  dear." 


172  FORTY    YEARS 

But  the  good  wife  of  Amos  stood 
And  listened  with  affright; 

"Unless,"  she  said,  "the  door  is  fast, 
I  shall  not  sleep  tonight." 

And  with  her  words,  as  woman  can, 
She  pressed  her  husband  sore, 

Till,  for  the  sake  of  household  peace, 
At  last  he  barred  the  door. 

They  went  to  rest,  and  soon  the  wife 
Was  wrapped  in  slumber  deep; 

But  Amos  turned  and  tossed  about 
And  vainly  tried  to  sleep. 

Then  came  a  voice  within  his  heart, 

A  mild  rebuke  it  bore, 
It  whispered:  "Thou  of  little  faith, 

Why  hast  thou  barred  thy  door? 

"Weak  is  that  poor  defense  of  thine 

Agamst  a  hostile  band; 
Stronger  than  strongest  fortresses 

The  shadow  of  My  hand. 

"Hast  thou  not  said,  these  many  times 
That  I  have  power  to  save, 

As  when  my  servants'  trembling  feet 
Were  sinking  in  the  wave? 

"Now  let  thy  actions  with  thy  words 

In  full  accord  agree; 
Rise  quickly  and  unbolt  thy  door, 

And  trust  alone  in  Me." 

Then  Amos  from  his  bed  arose, 

And  softly  trod  the  floor, 
Crept  down  the  stairs,  and  noiselessly 

Unbarred  the  cottage  door. 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  173 

Then  forth. he  looked  into  the  night, 

Star-light  it  was,  and  still; 
And  slowly  rose  the  waning  moon 

Behind  the  tree-fringed  hill. 

He  looked  with  truthful,  reverent  gaze, 

Up  to  the  starry  sky, 
As  meets  a  child  with  loving  glance 

A  tender  father's  eye. 

The  cloud  was  lifted  from  his  mind, 

His  doubts  were  over  now; 
The  cool  air  breathed  a  kiss  of  peace 

Upon  his  tranquil  brow. 

Then  back  to  his  forsaken  bed 

He  softly  groped  his  way, 
And  slept  the  slumber  of  the  just 

Until  the  dawn  of  day. 

That  night  a  painted  warrior  band 

Through  the  dark  forest  sped, 
With  step  as  light  upon  the  leaves 

As  panther's  stealthy  tread. 

They  reach  the  farm — "We  make  no  war 

With  good  and  faithful  men," 
The  foremost  Indian  turned  and  said, 

"Here  dwells  a  son  of  Penn." 

"Brother,  if  still  his  heart  is  right 

How  shall  we  surely  know?" 
Answered  another;  "Time  brings  change, 

And  oft  brings  friend  to  foe." 

Then  said  the  first  one,  "I  will  go 

And  gently  tap  the  door; 
If  open  still,  it  proves  his  heart 

Is  as  it  was  before." 


174  FORTY    YEARS 

It  yielded,  and  they  entered  in; 

Across  the  floor  they  stept, 
And  came  where  Amos  and  his  wife 

Calm  and  unconscious  slept. 

With  tommahawk  and  scalping-knife 

They  stood  beside  the  pair; 
A  solemn  stillness  rilled  the  room — 

An  angel  guard  was  there. 

Then  eye  sought  eye,  and  seemed  to  say, 
''How  sound  the  good  man  sleeps! 

So  may  they  rest,  and  fear  no  ill, 
Whom  the  Great  Spirit  keeps." 

Then  noiselessly  they  left  the  house, 

And  closed  the  door  behind, 
And  on  their  deadly  war-trail  passed 

Some  other  prey  to  find. 

And  horror  shrieked  around  their  steps, 
And  blood-shed  marked  their  way; 

And  many  homes  were  desolate 
When  rose  another  day. 

But  Amos,  with  a  thankful  heart, 

Greeted  the  morning  light, 
And  knew  not  until  after  years, 

How  near  was  death  that  night. 

The  Friends  Review  published  in  1884  the  following 
letter: 

"A  letter  from  Jeremiah  Hubbard,  dated  Grand 
River,  Indian  Territory,  first  month,  24th,  1884,  states 
that  third  day,  first  month,  8th,  Elwood  W.  Weesner 
and  himself  started  on  a  visit  to  the  Sac  and  Fox  Agen 
cy.  They  reached  Tulsa,  one  hundred  miles  on  the  way 
from  home  and  the  end  of  the  railroad,  the  first  day. 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  175 

The  next  day  they  took  the  mail  hack  and  rode  sixty- 
five  miles  to  the  Agency,  staying  that  night  with  the 
family  of  Agent  Jacob  V.  Carter.  The  next  day  they 
called  on  David  Bowles,  who  is  engaged  in  work  for  the 
agent  as  well  as  working  religiously  with  the  Indians. 
Also  called  on  William  Hurr,  the  Indian  Baptist  mis 
sionary,  who  was  formerly  at  the  Ottawa  station  in  the 
Quapaw  Agency,  where  he  mingled  much  with  Friends. 
They  then  visited  the  government  boarding  school,  un 
der  the  care  of  Silas  Moon  and  wife,  whom  they  found 
well  filling  their  responsible  places.  The  children  were 
under  good  management  and  the  school  doing  well. 
They  took  dinner  at  the  boarding  school  and  then  atten 
ded  the  funeral  of  a  little  Indian  girl,  who  was  for  a  time 
at  White's  Institute,  but  who  proved  too  delicate  and 
had  to  be  returned  to  her  home.  The  same  evening 
they  attended  a  meeting  at  William  Hurr's  meeting 
house  and  had  a  favored  meeting.  On  sixth  day  morn 
ing  William  Hurr  drove  them  thirty  miles  to  the  station 
where  the  Mexican  Kickapoos  are  settled  and  where  John 
Clinton  and  his  wife  now  live.  Here  also  they  had  a 
good  meeting  in  the  evening.  On  seventh  day  John  Clin 
ton  drove  them  to  Shawneetown  to  John  Elliott's,  who 
was  delighted  to  see  them.  He  took  them  some  twenty- 
five  miles  to  Wagoya,  where  the  government  day  school 
for  the  Pottawatomies  is  held  and  a  meeting  and  Bible 
school  are  kept  up.  On  first  day,  first  month,  I3th,  they 
attended  the  Bible  school  and  meeting  and  held  another 
meeting  in  the  evening.  They  found  all  who  were  in 
attendance  had  made  a  profession  of  faith,  holding  on 
their  way  and  form;  others  expressed  their  desire  to  en- 


176  FORTY    YEARS 

ter  on  the  Christian  life.  On  second  day  they  returned 
to  Shawneetown  and  had  a  good  meeting  that  night  at 
the  government  boarding  school,  the  Lord's  presence 
being  felt.  Lindley  M.  Cox  and  his  wife  are  the  super 
intendent  and  matron  of  this  school  and  filling  their 
places  well.  Thomas  W.  Alford  is  much  valued  as  a 
teacher  and  a  Christian.  He  was  trained  first  in  reserva 
tion  schools  and  then  at  Hampton  and  holds  a  very  im 
portant  relation  to  the  Shawnees.  On  third  day  at  1 1  a. 
m.,  a  meeting  was  called  at  Franklin  Elliott's  at  which 
the  number  was  small  but  the  meeting  was  attended  with 
the  Lord's  favor  and  presence.  Meeting  was  held  that 
evening  at  Franklin  Ellott's,  the  next  day  two  meetings 
and  on  the  fifth  day  they  went  to  Kickapoo  station. 
They  felt  that  Franklin  Elliott  was  in  his  right  place, 
the  right  man  to  fill  it,  and  truly  devoted  to  his  work. 
At  Kickapoo  station  they  had  another  meeting  and 
were  satisfied  that  John  Clinton  was  also  useful  in  his 
service  at  this  place.  On  sixth  day  they  returned  to  the 
Sac  and  Fox  Agency.  Jacob  V.  Carter  has  served  these 
Indians  well  as  United  States  agent.  At  the  Agency  J. 
H.  and  E.  Weesner  held  meetings  on  sixth  and  seventh 
evenings  and  were  at  the  Bible  school  and  meeting  on 
first  day  morning.  One  Indian  requested  to  join 
Friends'  meeting.  On  second  day  they  visited  Keokuk, 
the  good  Christian  chief,  who  also  said  that  Agent  Car 
ter  had  done  a  good  work  for  their  people.  Second  and 
third  day  nights  meetings  were  held  and  four  more  per 
sons  desired  to  join  Friends.  These  dear  brothers  felt 
the  Lord  led  and  blessed  them  greatly  in  their  visit. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  177 

How  HE  KEPT  HOUSE 
Old  Granley  declared  by  all  the  leaves 

That  were  upon  the  tree — tree 
He'd  do  more  work  in  one  short  day 

Than  his  wife  could  do  in  three — three. 

Mrs.  Granley  she  came  in,  she  says: 
"You  shall  have  trouble  now — now, 

For  you  shall  do  the  work  in  the  house, 
And  I'll  go  follow  the  plow — plow. 

But  you  must  milk  the  muley  cow, 

For  fear  she  will  go  dry — dry, 
And  you  must  feed  the  little  pig 

Which  is  within  the  stye — stye. 

And  you  must  put  the  cream  in  the  churn, 
Which  is  within  the  frame — frame; 

And  you  must  see  to  the  fat  in  the  pot, 
That  it  doesn't  all  go  in  the  flame — flame. 

And  you  must  feed  the  speckled  hen 

For  fear  she'l  go  astray — astray; 
And  you  must  reel  the  spool  of  yarn 

That  I  spun  yesterday — day." 

Mrs.  Granley  took  the  whip  in  her  hand 
To  go  and  follow  the  plow — plow; 

Old  Granley  took  the  pail  in  his  hand 
To  milk  the  muley  cow — cow. 

The  muley  cow  she  kicked,  she  raved, 
She  rumbled  with  her  nose — nose; 

She  kicked  old  Granley  on  the  shin 

Till  the  blood  ran  down  to  his  toes— toes. 

He  went  to  watch  the  speckled  hen, 
For  fear  she'd  lay  astray — astray; 

But  he  forgot  the  spool  of  yarn 
His  wife  spun  yesterday — day. 


178  FORTY    YEARS 

He  went  to  put  the  cream  in  the  churn 
Which  was  within  the  frame — frame, 

But  he  forgot  the  fat  in  the  pot, 
And  it  all  went  in  the  flame — flame. 

He  looked  east,  he  looked  west, 

He  looked  to  the  sun — sun, 
He  thought  it  was  the  longest  day — 

And  his  wife  would  never  come — come. 

And  then  he  declared  by  all  the  leaves 

That  were  upon  the  tree — tree, 
His  wife  could  do  more  work  in  a  day 

Than  he  could  do  in  three — three. 

ADDITIONAL    MARRIAGES 

Married,  on  Sabbath,  July  27,  1913,  at  the  home  of 
Will  Holton,  in  Miami,  Mr.  Bert  Easterbrook  and  Miss 
Edna  Newkirk,  both  of  Lowell,  Kansas. 

Married,  in  Miami,  at  Elmer  Jackson's,  Friday,  Au 
gust  8,  1913,  Mr.  Henry  O.  Barnes  and  Miss  Eva  Cul 
ver,  both  of  Afton,  Oklahoma. 


AN  UPSETTING  SIN 

A  negro  prayed  earnestly  that  he  and  his  colored 
brethren  might  be  saved  from  their  "upsetting  sins." 
"Brudder,"  said  one  of  his  friends,  at  the  close  of  the 
meeting,  "you  aint  got  de  hang  ob  dat  ar  word;  it's  be- 
settin' — not  upsettin'." 

"Brudder,"  said  the  first,  "if  dat's  so,  it  am  so;  but 
I  was  prayin'  de  Lord  to  sabe  us  from  de  sin  ob  intoxi 
cation,  and  if  dat  aint  an  upsettin'  sin,  I  dunno  what  am!" 

A  little  girl,  being  told  that  the  name  of  the  king  of 
Siam  was  Chu-Long  .Korn,  exclaimed,  "Ma,  is  he  fond 
of  succotash?" 


AMONG  THE  INDIANS  I7Q 

JOHN 
You're  going  to  leave  the  homestead,  John — 

You're  twenty-one  today; 
And  the  old  man  will  be  sorry,  John, 

To  see  you  go  away. 
You've  labored  late  and  early,  John, 

And  done  the  best  you  could; 
I  ain't  a  goin'  to  stop  you,  John — 

I  couldn't  if  I  would. 

Yet  something"  of  your  feelings,  John, 

I  s'pose  I'd  ought  to  know; 
Though  many  a  day  has  passed  away — 

'Twas  forty  years  ago — 
When  hope  was  high  with  me,  John, 

And  life  lay  all  before — 
That  I,  with  strong  and  measured  stroke, 

Cut  loose,  and  pulled  from  shore. 

The  years  they  come  and  go,  my  boy, 

The  years  they  come  and  go; 
And  raven  locks  and  tresses  brown, 

Grow  white  as  driven  snow. 
My  heart  has  known  its  sorrows,  John, 

It's  trials  and  troubles  sore; 
Yet  God  withal  hath  blest  me,  John, 

"In  basket  and  in  store." 

But  one  thing  let  me  tell  you,  John, 

Before  you  make  your  start; 
There's  more  in  being  honest,  John, 

Twice  o'er  than  being  smart. 
Though  rogues  may  seem  to  flourish,  John, 

And  sterling  worth  to  fail, 
O,  keep  in  view  the  good  and  true, 

'Twill  in  the  end  prevail. 

Don't  think  too  much  of  money,  John, 
And  dig  and  delve  and  plan, 


l8o  FORTY    YEARS 

And  rake  and  scrape  in  every  shape 

To  hoard  up  all  you  can. 
Though  fools  may  count  their  riches,  John, 

In  shillings,  pounds  and  pence, 
The  best  of  wealth  is  youth  and  health, 

And  good,  sound  common  sense. 

Be  gentle  to  the  aged,  John, 

At  poverty  ne'er  jest, 
For  many  a  brave  and  noble  heart 

Beats  'neath  a  ragged  vest. 
And  the  Savior  of  the  world,  my  boy, 

Whose 'blood  for  us  was  shed, 
With  all  his  grace  had  not  a  place 

Wherein  to  lay  his  head. 

And  don't  be  mean  or  stingy,  John, 

But  lay  a  little  by 
Of  what  you  earn;  you  soon  will  learn 

How  fast  'twill  multiply, 
So,  when  old  age  comes  creeping  on, 

You'll  have  a  goodly  store 
Of  wealth  to  furnish  all  your  needs, 

And  maybe  something  more. 

There's  shorter  cuts  to  fortune,  John, 

We  see  them  every  day; 
But  those  who  save  their  self-respect 

Climb  up  the  good  old  way. 
"All  is  not  gold  that  glitters,"  John, 

And  make  the  vulgar  stare; 
And  those  we  deem  the  richest,  John, 

Have  oft  the  least  to  spare. 

Don't  meddle  with  your  neighbors,  John, 
Their  sorrows  or  their  cares; 

You'll  find  enough  to  do,  my  boy, 
To  mind  your  own  affairs. 

The  world  is  full  of  idle  tongues — 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  l8l 

You  can  afford  to  shirk; 
There's  lots  of  people  ready,  John, 
To  do  such  dirty  work. 


A  PARTICULAR  PROVIDENCE 

George  Dillwyn,  of  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  an  em 
inent  minister  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  in  the  early  part 
of  the  present  century,  was  remarkable  for  spiritual  dis 
cernment.  Among  other  anecdotes  related  of  him  illus 
trating  his  quick  perception  of  the  pointing  of  duty,  and 
his  faithful  obedience  thereto,  is  the  following: 

On  one  occasion,  when  sitting  in  his  parlor  with  his 
wife,  he  suddenly  arose  from  his  seat,  took  his  hat,  and 
seemed  about  to  go  out  for  a  walk.  His  wife  attempted 
to  detain  him,  informing  him  that  it  was  raining,  of 
which  he  seemed  to  be  unaware,  and  that  it  was  nearly 
dinner  time.  He  replied  that  he  must  go;  his  wife  ac 
cordingly  brought  him  an  umbrella,  and  he  left  his  home 
without  apparently  knowing  his  destination.  After 
walking  the  street  for  a  time  he  came  opposite  a  house 
into  which  he  felt  it  right  to  enter.  He  opened  the  door 
and  walked  into  the  front  parlor,  in  which  he  found  two 
men,  who  appeared  greatly  astonished  to  see  him.  He 
sat  down  by  them  in  silence  and,  after  a  time,  said  that 
he  felt  impelled  to  enter  that  house,  though  for  what 
purpose  he  could  not  tell,  but  perhaps  they  could  inform 
him.  They  then  told  him  that  they  had  had  an  earnest 
discussion  on  the  doctrine  of  a  particular  Providence, 
which  one  of  them  had  stoutly  maintained  and  the  other 
as  strenuously  opposed.  At  length  the  latter  had  said 
that  if  George  Dillwyn  was  to  walk  into  the  room,  at 


l82  FORTY    YEARS 

that  moment,  he  would  believe  the  doctrine.  He  had  no 
sooner  said  the  words,  "than,"  remarked  the  narrator, 
"you  came  in."  After  this  remarkable  incident,  George 
Dillwyn  addressed  them  in  an  impressive  manner,  and 
took  his  leave. 


FARTHER    BACK 

Would  you  force  the  Indian  farther  back 

In  the  trackless,  western  wild; 
Through  the  frowning  forest,  broad  and  black- 

From  his  native  haunts  exiled? 

Say,  shall  they  have  their  childhood's  home? 

And  the  banks  of  their  sunny  streams; 
Through  the  untrod  waste,  outcasts  to  roam 

Where  the  panther's  eye  balls  gleam. 

True  they  are  weak  and  we  are  strong, 

With  us  vain  were  their  might; 
But  does  their  weakness  make  them  wrong, 

Or  is  our  strength  our  right? 

Remember  once  this  fair  domain 

Was  theirs  and  theirs  alone; 
Sole  monarchs  of  the  boundless  plain, 

They  feared  the  wrath  of  none. 

From  an  eastern  clime  a  fable  band 

Came  to  their  peaceful  shore; 
They  craved  a  boon  at  the  red  man's  hand, 

He  shared  with  them  his  store. 

He  gave  them  shelter,  fire  and  food, 

And  soothed  their  lot  forlorn; 
And  then  instead  of  gratitude, 

He  felt  the  white  man's  scorn. 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  183 

O'er  the  fair  land  their  hosts  have  gone, 

Sore  fell  their  arm  in  wrath; 
Till  scarcely  a  single  moccasin, 

Marks  the  red  hunter's  path. 

Our  homes  are  built  upon  the  mounds, 

Where  the  dead  Indian  lies; 
And  o'er  their  forest  hunting  grounds, 

Our  lordly  cities  rise. 

Their  fathers  sleep  beneath  the  sod, 

Now  by  the  white  man  pressed 
But  the  Indian  leaves  the  turf  untrod, 

That  guards  the  warrior's  rest. 

And  ill  do  they  bear  to  know  the  graves 

By  them  thus  sacred  held; 
Upturned  by  the  shares  of  avarice  slaves 

Are  leveled  with  the  field. 


RINGING  FOR  THE  WATER  BOY 
A  good  story  is  told  of  a  verdant  one,  who  was  a 
passenger  in  a  railroad  express  train  and  became  thirsty: 
" Where's  that  'ere  boy  with  that  water  can?"  he  queried 
of  his  neighbor.  ''He  has  gone  forward  to  the  baggage 
car,  I  suppose."  was  the  reply.  "Wall,  do  you  suppose 
I  ken  get  him  back  here  again?"  "Certainly,"  said  the 
other;  "you  have  only  to  ring  for  him,"  and  he  nodded 
toward  the  bell-line  that  ran  above  their  heads.  Before 
anyone  could  prevent  it,  Rusticus  had  seized  the  line 
and  given  it  a  tremendous  tug.  The  consequences  were 
at  once  obvious;  three  shrill  whistles  were  instantly 
heard,  half  a  dozen  brakemen  ran  to  their  posts,  and  the 
train  came  to  a  stand-still  with  a  suddenness  that  startled 
half  the  passengers  with  astonishment,  and  caused  every 


184  FORTY    YEARS 

man  next  to  a  window  to  hoist  it  and  look  out  to  see 
what  was  the  matter.  In  a  few  minutes  the  conductor, 
red  and  excited,  came  foaming"  into  the  car  to  know  who 
pulled  that  bell-rope.  "Here,  mister,  this  way;  I'm  the 
man,"  shouted  the  man,  drawing  all  eyes  upon  him. 
"You!"  said  the  conductor;  "and  what  did  you  do  it 
for?"  "Sartin;  I  wanted  the  water-boy,  and  my  partner 
here  in  the  seat  said  I'd  better  ring-  for  him,  as  we  do  at 
the  hotel,  and  so  I  yanked  the  bell;  will  he  be  along: 
soon?  And,  by  the  by,  what  in  thunder  be  ye  stoppin' 
fer?"  The  shout  of  laughter  that  greeted  this  honest 
confession  was  too  much  for  the  conductor,  and  he  had 
to  wait  till  he  got  his  train  under  way  again  before  he 
explained  the  mystery  of  the  bell-rope  to  his  verdant 
customer. 

St.  John  says  that  when  the  Savior  was  brought  be 
fore  Pilate,  he  was  asked  the  question,  "What  is  truth?" 
As  Pilate  was  a  Roman,  of  course  his  question  was  ask 
ed  in  the  Latin  language:  Quidest  veritas?  The  scrip 
ture  records  no  reply  to  this  question,  possibly  for  the 
reason  that  it  contains  an  answer  which  may  be  discov 
ered  by  the  mere  transposition  of  the  letters:  Est  vir  qui 
adest,  "It  is  the  man  who  stands  before  you."  This  may 
be  as  interesting  as  it  is  singular  to  many. 

THE  SIMPLE   CHURCH 

I've  been  to  a  Quaker  meeting,  wife,  and  I  shall  go  again; 
It  was  so  quiet  and  so  neat,  so.simple  and  so  plain; 
The  angels  seemed  to  gather  there,  from  off  the  other 

shore, 
And  fold  their  wings  in  quietness,  as  if  they'd  been  before. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  185 

There  was  no  high-priced  organ  there,  no  costly  singing 

choir 
To  help  you  raise  your  thoughts  to  God  and  holiness 

inspire; 

But,  sitting  still  in  science,  we  seemed  to  feel  and  know 
The  still,  small  voice  that  entered  in  and  told  the  way 

to  go. 

The  walls  were  free  from  paintings  and  costly  works  of  art, 
That  in  our  modern  churches  seem  to  play  so  large  a  part; 
For,  it  seems  they  each  endeavor  to  please  the  eye  of  man, 
And  lose  all  thoughts  of  plainness  in  every  church  they 
plan. 

The  windows  had  no  colored  glass  to  shed  a  gloom  around 
But    God's  pure  sunlight  entered  unrestrained  and  all 

around, 

And  centered  in  a  little  spot,  so  bright,  it  seems  to  me 
A  glimpse  of  brightness  somewhat  like  our  future  home 

will  be. 

There  was  no  learned  minister,  who  read  as  from  a  book, 
And  showed  that  he  had  practiced  his  every  word  and 

look, 
But  a  sermon  full  of  wisdom  was  preached  by  an  old 

Friend, 
That  took  right  hold  of  all  our  thoughts,  and  held  them 

to  the  end. 

There  was  no  pulpit  decked  with  flowers  of  beauty  rich 
and  rare, 

And  made  of  costly  foreign  woods,  almost  beyond  com 
pare; 

But  the  plain  and  simple  words  that  we  that  day  had 
heard, 

The  common  painted  gallery  did  much  to  help  the  word. 

There  was  no  bustle,  noise,  or  stir,  as  each  one  took  his 
seat, 


l86  FORTY    YEARS 

And  silence  settled  over  all,  not  solemn,  but  so  sweet! 
As  each  in  his  quiet  way  implored  for  strength  to  know 
The  right  from  wrong"  in  everything,  and  asked  the  way 
to  go. 

It  seemed  while  I  was  there,  wife,  so  peaceful  and  so  still, 
That  I  was  in  God's  presence,  and  there  to  do  His  will; 
The  simple,  peaceful  quiet  did  more  to  move  my  heart 
Than  any  worship  yet  had  done,  with  all  its  show  and  art. 

I'm  going  there  again,  wife,  and  you  will  like  it,  too. 
I  know  what  it  has  done  for  me;  'twill  do   the  same   for 

you; 
And  you,  when  once  you've   entered   through   the   plain 

but  open  door, 
Will  wonder  why  you've  never  tried   the   simple   church 

before. 

OBITUARY 

Mrs.  Caroline  Spicer,  wife  of  John  Spicer,  died  on 
the  eve  of  December  23,  '93,  aged  44  years,  after  a  long 
spell  of  sickness,  in  a  mysterious  way  and  slowly  losing 
her  breath.  She  would  get  better  at  times  but  finally 
get  back  into  the  same  sickness.  She  bore  her  ailment 
with  great  courage.  After  a  few  months  illness  the  guar 
dian  angel  beconed  her  home  and  she  fell  asleep  in  the 
arms  of  Jesus.  Just  prior  to  her  death  she  made  a  few 
remarks  to  her  husband  concerning  her  sickness.  She 
said:  "John,  I  am  going  to  get  better,  I  feel  better.  I 
think -I  shall  sleep  tonight,  I  am  going  to  get  better  and 
won't  be  sick  any  more."  She  removed  herself  from  the 
bed  and  sat  on  a  chair  and  made  special  request  con 
cerning  a  few  domestic  affairs,  and  in  a  few  moments 
bade  him  redress  her  bed  that  she  might  sleep  well  that 
night,  and  when  the  bed  was  ready  she  arose,  went  to  it, 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  187 

bade  her  husband  "good-bye,"  laid  down  and  thus  her 
spirit  departed  for  its  ethereal  throne  to  join  with  the 
Great  Spirit. 

Friend  after  friend  departs,  as  the  years  go  by,  those 
that  we  have  known  in  infancy,  in  childhood,  in  youth, 
in  maturity,  one  by  one  pass  from  our  sight.  Yesterday 
they  were  with  us,  full  of  life,  joy  and  love — today  they 
are  gone,  and  our  homes  are  desolate,  and  our  hearts 
are  sad  with  a  sadness  for  which  sadness  earth  has  no 
remedy.  The  nearest  and  dearest,  the  truest  and  nob 
lest,  pass  from  us  and  are  lost  in  the  shadow  of  the 
tomb.  We  who  linger  behind  are  also  passing  away.  It 
is  only  a  little  while  and  the  partings  will  be  over,  and 
the  meetings  will  begin;  the  toil  will  be  ended  and  the 
rest  remain;  the  weariness,  the  pain  the  conflict  ends, 
and  then  comes  the  peaceful  sleep,  the  quiet  rest  in  hope 
and  the  joyful  awakening  to  an  immortal  life. 

The  following  lines  were  sent  to  my  wife's  sick  room 
by  E.  A.  Bacon,  Germantown,  Pennsylvania.  How 
much  they  cheered  her  heart: 

Lord,  speak  to  me  that  I  may  speak 

In  loving  echoes  of  thy  tone; 
As  thou  hast  sought,  so  let  me  seek 
Thy  erring  children,  lost  and  lone. 

Oh  lead  me,  Lord;  that  I  may  lead 
The  wandering  and  the  wavering  feet; 

Oh  feed  me,  Lord,  that  I  may  feed 

Thy  hungering  ones  with  manna  sweet. 

Oh  fill  me  with  Thy  fullness,  Lord, 
Until  my  very  heart  o'er  flows; 


l88  FORTY    YEARS 

In  kindling:  thought  and  glowing  word, 
Thy  love  to  tell,  Thy  praise  to  show. 

Oh  use  me,  Lord,  use  ever  me 

Just  as  Thou  wilt,  and  when  and  where, 

Until  Thy  blessed  face  I  see — 

Thy  rest,  Thy  joy,  Thy  glory  share. 

To  tell  the  Indian,  Lord,  of  Thee, 
That  he  may  share  Thy  joy  with  me; 

Oh,  may  we  sing  the  song  of  love 
In  that  bright  world  above. 

Bear  not  a  simple  care, 

One  is  too  much  for  thee; 
The  work  is  His,  and  His  alone, 

To  rest  in  Him  thy  work  shall  be. 

When  I  take  a  retrospective  view  of  the  past  forty 
years  of  my  life  in  this  country  and  contrast  forty  years 
ago  with  now  it  makes  me  smile.  Then  I  traveled  in 
a  two  horse  cart,  and  when  noontime  came  would  un 
hitch  my  team,  feed  them  and  take  my  lunch  of  cold 
bread  and  meat  and  walk  backward  and  forward  along 
the  trail  while  eating. 

One  morning  when  I  started  on  a  trip  the  postmas 
ter  at  Wyandotte  brought  out  a  card  and  read  to  me 
giving  a  description  of  a  man,  who  had  killed  another 
man  up  in  Kansas  and  took  his  team. 

I  was  riding  along  in  my  cart  on  a  trail  not  very  far 
from  Grand  river,  heard  a  noise,  looked  up,  and  right  in 
front  of  me,  holding  a  gun  in  his  hand,  stood  a  man 
fitting  the  description  of  the  man  in  the  card  the  post 
master  had  read  to  me  that  morning.  I  stopped,  we 
talked  a  few  minutes  and  I  said  I  must  be  going.  He 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  l8g 

said  I  could  not  cross  the  river.  "Yes,"  I  said,  "I  know 
the  river  is  high,  but  I  am  going  down  on  this  side."  I 
never  looked  back,  but  expected  him  to  shoot  every  mo 
ment  until  I  got  away.  I  did  not  see  the  team  as  he 
had  them  hid  in  the  bushes.  A  great  many  people  have 
disappeared  quite  suddenly  and  were  never  heard  from 
again  in  this  country  in  the  early  days. 

We  would  travel  many  miles  at  times  without  seeing 
any  one.  At  one  time  I  was  going  to  the  Sac  and  Fox 
agency,  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  and  only  passed  one 
house.  I  stopped  there  for  dinner,  and  while  I  was  un 
hitching  my  team  a  man  came  out  and  said  there  was  a 
woman  in  the  house  who  knew  me.  I  wondered  who  in 
the  world  it  could  be  that  would  know  me  this  distance 
from  home,  but  when  I  went  in  the  house  I  discovered 
that  she  was  a  lady  whom  I  had  married  to  a  Sac  and 
Fox  Indian  many  years  previous,  Some  times  in  trav 
eling  in  that  early  day,  twenty  to  thirty  miles  would  be 
passed  without  seeing  a  house,  and  yet  I  was  never  lone 
ly  for  I  had  sweet  communion  with  my  Lord  and  Mas 
ter. 

One  time  a  great  many  years  ago  my  wife  arid  I  and 
Thomas  Stanley  were  riding  along  in  my  hack  out  on  a 
big  prairie.  Thomas  asked  me  to  stop,  climed  out  of 
the  hack  and  started  across  the  prairie,  saying  he  would 
be  at  the  house  the  next  morning  about  ten  o'clock,  and 
sure  enough  he  was.  I  remember  on  another  occasion 
Thomas  and  I  stayed  all  night  with  Uncle  Irving  Long, 
chief  of  the  Wyandottes.  We  were  standing  out  in  the 
yard  when  Thomas  sniffed  the  air  a  little  and  said  if  I 


IQO  FORTY    YEARS 

would  go  in  the  house  and  ask  Nancy  for  an  apple  and 
a  biscuit  he  would  go  on.  I  inquired  where  he  was  going". 
He  replied  that  as  I  had  given  him  the  apple  and  the 
buiscuit  he  had  apple  pie  now  and  would  go  on  to  Dick 
Witham's.  Thomas  had  a  coat  which  he  made  himself, 
with  eleven  pockets  in  it.  He  always  walked.  I  have 
tracked  him  for  miles  and  miles.  He  would  stop  and 
shake  hands  with  every  Indian  he  met,  and  all  the  In 
dians  throughout  the  country  knew  him.  On  one  oc 
casion  he  wanted  to  drink  a  cup  of  hot  water.  After 
pouring  it  out  he  stood  with  the  cup  in  his  hand  for 
some  time,  busily  talking,  when  an  old  Indian  spoke  up, 
"If  Thomas  don't  drink  that  pretty  soon  it  will  lose  its 
strength."  Thomas  was  a  man  who  was  always  at  home 
wherever  he  happened  to  be,  and  would  take  hold  and 
help  with  any  work  there  was  to  do.  He  was  quite  a 
character  and  everyone  who  knew  him  loved  Thomas 
Stanley. 

In  cosmopolitan  literature  there  is  probably  no  char 
acter  that  is  known  among  so  many  people,  and  especi 
ally  the  red  race,  as  is  Uncle  Jerry  Hubbard.  He  has 
lived  two  score  years  among  them,  studied  their  habits, 
manners  and  customs  and  is  fully  equipped  and  prepared 
to  give  a  complete  history,  setting  forth  their  develop 
ment  and  advancement.  We  can  imagine  forty  years 
ago  and  see  Uncle  Jerry  ridingrhis  little  Indian  pony  to 
and  from  the  different  tribes;  how  glad  they  were  to 
greet  him  when  he  appeared  among  them;  how  pleased 
they  were  to  invite  him  to  their  feast  of  dog  meat  that 
had  been  especially  prepared  for  him.  How  in  his  good- 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  IQI 

natured  way  he  entertained  them,  preached  to  them  and 
told  them  interesting  stories  about  the  white  man  that 
would  soon  be  among-  them  to  take  their  lands  and  disr 
possess  them  of  their  hunting  ground,  all  of  which  has 
sure  come  true. 

It  is  unquestionably  true  that  "Uncle  Jerry"  has 
married  more  Indians  than  any  other  white  man  in  the 
known  world.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  Friends  church 
among  them.  They  all  knew  ' 'Uncle  Jerry"  as  the  In 
dian's  friend.  He  never  betrayed  .one  of  them,  always 
gave  them  good  advice,  comforted  them  in  time  of  need. 
They  loved  him  as  a  father  to  them,  respected  him  for 
his  lovingkindness. 

Of  late  years  "LJncle  Jerry"  has  devoted  his  entire 
time  to  the  ministry,  preaching  here  and  there  wherever 
the  occasion  demands.  He  has  been  called  to  preach 
funerals  which  have  required  scores  of  miles  of  travel  on 
his  part,  and  which  he  has  cheerfully  done,  no  matter 
what  the  weather  may  have  been. 

It  would  not  do  to  close  this  .article  without  saying 
something  about  his  apetite  for  good  things  to  eat.  He 
has  feasted  on  the  "canine  species"  and  from  that  to  the 
yellow-legged  chicken,  of  the  latter  he  is  exceedingly 
fond.  To  him  no  marriage  ceremony  is  complete  with 
out  a  well-spread  table. 

In  conclusion,  we  wish  to  say  that  the  subject  of  this 
little  sketch  has  a  great  circle  of  friends,  and  is  a  man 
with  but  few  enemies.  For  a  man  seventy-seven  years 
of  age  he  is  quite  active  both  physically  and  mentally. 
Such  well  rounded  characters  are  these  that  live  to  reach 
the  century  mark.  Here's  hopin'  to  "Uncle  Jerry." 

J.  W.  COONS 
Editor  Live  Wire,  Miami,  Oklahoma. 


IQ2  FORTY    YEARS 

We  see  by  the  Miami  papers  that  "Uncle  Jerry  Hub- 
bard"  is  publishing"  a  book  of  reminiscences  of  "Forty 
Years  Among  the  Indians."  In  our  opinion  there  is  no 
man  better  fitted  to  compile  a  book  of  that  sort,  or  one 
more  experienced  in  the  ways  of  educating  and  upbuild 
ing  the  Indians.  We  have  known  him  for  thirty-five 
years  out  of  the  forty  and  can  only  say  that  he  is  "John 
ny-on-the-spot"  either  with  or  without  the  dollar  in 
sight  to  help  the  poor,  marry  the  love-sick  or  bury  the 
dead.  We  have  known  him  to  go  far  and  near  to  visit 
the  sick  and  bury  the  dead — help  carry  the  corpse  out 
and  take  the  shovel  and  help  smooth  over  the  little 
mound,  wipe  the  sweat  from  his  brow,  then  offer  a  fer 
vent  .prayer  for  all.  We  have  had  him  engaged  for  the 
past  twenty  years  to  ease  us  out  of  this  vale  of  tears 
when  the  final  taps  of  life  are  sounded.  Jerry  is  a  man 
who  allows  every  person  his  or  her  own  way  of  doing^ 
right,  and  can  work  with  any  denomination  so  long  as 
their  doings  point  to  the  same  place.  Every  Indian  as 
well  as  white  know  that  they  have  a  friend  in  Uncle 
Jerry,  and  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  let  the  people  know 
that  Jerry  will  preach  at  a  certain  time  and  place  and 
a  large  congregation  will  be  present  who  are  sure  to  pay 
strict  attention  to  all  that  he  says.  And,  again,  Uncle 
Jerry  is  a  man  who  attends  to  his  own  business,  never 
meddles,  but  on  occason  will  give  a  sinner  good  advice. 
When  in  the  pulpit  he  scores  you  right  and  left. 

We  have  watched  him  all  these  years  and  can  say 
truthfully  that  he  comes  the  nearest  walking  the  Golden 
Rule  of  any  man  we  ever  met — always  scattering  sun 
shine,  and  he  lives  his  Christianity  every  day,  as  every 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS  IQ3 

Indian  and  every  white  in  all  this  country  will  bear  wit 
ness.  And  while  he  is  a  man  seventy-seven  years  old 
yet  he  can  ride  in  a  buggy  or  wagon  all  day  and  not  be 
weary.  Our  only  wish  is  that  our  feet  were  as  sure  of 
walking  the  Golden  Streets  as  we  believe  his  to  be. 

We  want  one  of  Uncle  Jerry's  books,  and  we  believe 
no  library  complete  without  one. 

Your  old  friend, 

WATT    C.  JENNISON. 

This  is  old  Judge  Winn's  son-in-law,  of  the  Ottawas. 

CONSIDER  THE  LILIES 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  Quarterly  Meeting  in  Mas 
sachusetts,  7th  month  and  6th,  1876,  Stanley  Pumphrey 
commented  on  a  pond  lily  held  in  his  hand,  in  the  fol 
lowing  language:  "As  I  was  entering  the  meeting  house 
a  kind  friend  handed  me  this  flower.  When  first  receiv 
ed  it  was  fresh  and  vigorous,  fragrant,  pure  and  beauti 
ful,  showing  what  exquisite  beauty  and  lovliness  our 
Lord  may  bring  forth  from  very  unpromising  materials. 
It  is  a  plant  formed  in  the  mire,  and  growing  in  unsight 
ly  surroundings;  yet,  from  amidst  the  impure  and  vile, 
it  has  grown  up  and  blossometh  forth  an  emblem  of  pu 
rity.  So  the  things  which  we  do  lightly  esteem  in  this 
lower  world,  or  loathe  as  grievous,  inconvenient  or  un 
congenial,  may  be  converted  into  the  conditions  of  our 
spiritual  development,  and  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  our 
God  upon  us;  so,  by  His  grace,  may  we  be  endowed  with 
"beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the 
garments  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heavenliness."By  the 
length  of  the  stem  which  this  flower  crowns,  it  appears 


IQ4  FORTY    YEARS 

that  it  has  come  up  through  deep  waters,  until  finally  it 
was  unfolded  to  the  light.  What  encouragement  is  there 
for  us  unto  patient  continuance  in  the  midst  of  our  dark, 
or  turbid,  or  storm-tossed  surroundings,  ever  looking  to 
come  up  higher  by  means  of  these  to  the  Sun  of  Right 
eousness,  in  His  light  shining  clearer  and  clearer  till  we/ 
merge  into  the  perfect  clay.  We  may  be  toiling,  we 
may  have  to  grope  upward  as  in  the  darkness,  but  let  us 
patiently  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  to  finish  our 
course,  and  reach  the  crown  of  righteousness  which  the 
Lord  will  give  us  in  that  day. 

"You  see  this  flower,  which  at  first  was  so  fresh  and 
lovely,  now  wilted  and  withered  away.  This  because  it 
has  become  detached  from  the  root  that  bore  it.  Beware, 
lest  it  be -so  with  any  of  us  through  our  not  dwelling  in 
the  root,  as  branches  abiding  in  the  vine.  From  Jesus 
Christ,  our  root  and  foundation,  we  derive  all  our  life 
and  supply.  Disconnected  from  Him,  we  shall  wilt  and 
wither  and  perish.  Clinging  to  Him,  we  shall  draw  con 
tinually  upon  everlasting  strength,  and  bring  forth,  not 
only  of  His  glory  and  beauty  to  adorn  His  doctrine,  but 
also  much  fruit  unto  life  eternal.  "Consider  the  lilies, 
how  they  grow." 


ABIDE  WITH  ME 

"Abide  with  us;   for  it  is  toward  even,  and  the  day  is  far 
spent." 

Abide  with  me;  fast  falls  the  even  tide; 
The  darkness  depens;  Lord,  with  me  abide; 
When  other  helpers  fail,  and  comforts  flee. 
Help  of  the  helpless,  Oh,  abide  with  me. 


AMONG   THE   INDIANS  1 95 

Hold  Thou  Thy  cross  before  my  eyes; 
Shine  through  the  gloom,  and  point  me  to  the  skies; 
Heaven's  morning-  breaks,  and  earth's  vain  shadows  flee; 
In  life,  in  death,  O  Lord,  abide  with  me. 


A  LAMP  TO  THY  FEET 
A  lamp  to  thy  feet — not  a  splendor, 

Lighting  the  hills  afar; 
Not  radience,  solemn  and  tender, 

Of  moonlight;  or  glimmer  of  star. 
All  around  may  be  shrouded  in  shadow 

And  dimness  and  mist  of  the  night; 
But  be  it  o'er  mountain  or  meadow, 

Before  us  the  path  shall  be  light. 

For  His  locks  are  wet  with  the  night  dews, 

His  feet  are  bleeding  and  torn, 
As,  weary  under  our  burden, 

He  treads  in  our  pathway  the  thorn. 
Though  His  lamp  light  one  step,  and  one  only, 

There's  the  mark  of  His  foot  in  the  sod; 
Though  the  way  be  thorny  and  lonely, 

It  ends  in  the  bosom  of  God. 

"Goo's  RAVEN" 

A  lady  who  lived  on  the  north  side  of  London,  set 
out  one  day  to  see  a  poor  sick  friend,  living  in  Drury 
Lane,  and  took  with  her  a  basket  provided  with  tea, 
butter  and  food.  The  day  was  fine  and  clear  when  she 
started,  but  as  she  drew  near  to  Islington  a  thick  fog 
came  on,  which  somewhat  frightened  her,  as  she  was 
deaf  and  feared  it  might  be  dangerous  in  the  streets  if 
she  could  not  see.  Thicker  and  darker  the  fog  became; 
they  lighted  the  lamps,  and  the  omnibus  went  at  a  walk 
ing  pace.  Just  at  she  reached  her  destination  the  fog 


Ig6  FORTY    YEARS 

cleared.  She  knocked  at  the  door  and  a  little  girl  open 
ed  it.  "How  is  grandmother?"  "Come  in,  Mrs.  A — ," 
answered  the  grandmother;  "how  did  you  get  here?  We 
have  been  in  thick  darkness  all  day."  The  room  was  ex 
ceedingly  neat  and  the  kettle  stood  boiling  on  the  fire. 
"I  see  you  are  ready  for  tea,  and  have  brought  some 
thing  more  to  place  upon  the  table,"  The  woman  said, 
"Mrs.  A — .  you  are  indeed  God's  raven,  sent  by  Him  to 
bring  us  food,  for  we  have  not  tasted  yet.  I  felt  sure 
God  would  care  for  us.  Thirty  years  He  has  provided 
for  me  through  all  my  pain  and  helplesness  and  I  felt 
sure  He  would  not  leave  us  to  starve  at  last,"  The  right 
eous  cry,  and  the  Lord  heareth,  and  delivereth  them  out 
of  all  their  troubles." 

A  PATHETIC  INCIDENT 

One  day  in  the  winter  of  1832-3,  four  Flathead  In 
dians  appeared  upon  the  streets  of  St.  Louis  with  a  re 
quest  which  no  white  man  had  ever  heard  before.  They 
came,  they  said,  from  the  land  of  the  setting  sun.  They 
had  heard  of  the  white  man's  God,  and  they  wanted  the 
white  man's  Book  of  Heaven. 

General  Clarke,  then  commanding  the  military  post 
at  St.  Louis,  was  a  Roman  Catholic.  The  Roman  Cath 
olic  missionaries  have  performed  heroic  service  among 
the  Indians.  Unfortunately,  however,  they  have  tried 
to  give  the  Indian  Christianity  without  civilization.  So 
while  the  four  Flatheads  were  received  with  the  greatest 
hospitality,  and  were  shown  the  Roman  Catholic  church, 
the  pictures  of  the  saints,  etc.,  yet  they  were  denied  their 
oft  repeated  request  for  a  bible.  Two  of  the  Indians 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS  IQ7 

died  in  St.  Louis  from  the  fatigue  of  their  long"  journey 
from  Oregon.  The  other  two,  homesick  and  disappoint 
ed,  prepared  to  return.  General  Clarke  made  a  banquet 
for  them  and  bade  them  God  speed  on  their  journey. 
One  of  the  Indians  was  called  upon  to  respond.  His  re 
sponse  deserves  to  rank  with  Lincoln's  Gettysburg 
speech  as  a  model  of  eloquence,  and  with  Washington's 
farewell  address  in  the  influence  it  subsequently  exercis 
ed.  We  can  give  no  just  idea  of  the  circumstances,  or 
of  the  impression  it  produced.  We  can  only  give  the 
English  version  of  the  speech,  which,  like  all  translations, 
loses  much  of  the  force  of  the  original: 

"I  came  to  you  over  the  trail  of  many  moons  from 
the  setting  sun.  You  were  the  friends  of  my  fathers  who 
have  all  gone  the  long  way.  I  came  with  an  eye  partly 
opened  for  more  light  for  my  people  who  sit  in  darkness. 
I  go  back  with  both  eyes  closed.  How  can  I  go  back  to 
my  blind  people?  I  made  my  way  to  you  with  strong 
arms,  through  many  enemies  and  strange  lands,  that  I 
might  carry  back  much  to  them.  I  go  back  with  both 
arms  broken  and  empty.  Two  fathers  came  with  us. 
They  were  the  braves  of  many  winters  and  wars.  We 
leave  them  asleep  by  your  great  water  and  wigwam. 
They  were  tired  in  many  moons  and,  their  moccasins 
wore  out.  My  people  sent  me  to  get  the  white  man's 
Book  of  Heaven.  You  took  me  .where  you  allow  your 
women  to  dance,  as  we  do  not  ours,  and  the  Book  was 
not  there.  You  took  me  where  they  worship  the  Great 
Spirit  with  condles,  and  the  Book  was  not  there.  You 
showed  me  the  images  of  the  good  spirits  and  pictures 
of  the  good  land  beyond,  but  the  Book  was  not  among 


ig8  FORTY    YEARS 

them  to  tell  us  the  way,  I  am  going  back  the  long,  sad 
trail,  to  my  people  of  the  dark  land.  You  make  my  feet 
heavy  with  gifts  and  my  moccasins  will  grow  old  in  car 
rying  them,  yet  the  Book  is  not  among  them.  When  I 
tell  my  poor,  blind  people  after  one  more  snow  in  the 
big  council,  that  I  did  not  bring  the  Book;  no  word  will 
be  spoken  by  our  old  men  or  by  our  young  braves,  One 
by  one  they  will  rise  up  and  go  out  in  silence.  My  peo 
ple  will  die  in  darkness,  and  they  will  go  on  the  long 
path  to  other  hunting  grounds.  No  white  man  will  go 
with  them  and  no  white  man's  book  to  make  the  way 
plain.  I  have  no  more  words." — Missionary  Review. 

The  government  has  often  made  mistakes  in  treating 
with  the  Indians  by  sending  the  wrong  men — men  whose 
slightest  command  demanded  instant  obedience.  They 
may  be  good  men,  doubtless  are,  but  generals,  colonels 
and  captains  will  not  do.  Half  a  dozen  old  farmers  who 
have  the  patience  to  sit  down  with  the  Indians  and  care 
fully  listen  to  the  Indians'  side  of  the  case  will  do  more 
good  and  accomplish  more  in  less  time  than  blustering 
generals  or  pompous  officials.  The  Indian  wants  to 
know  why  the  Great  Father  at  Washington  requires  him 
to  do  thus  and  so.  What  would  our  white  citizens  do 
if  Great  Britain  should  suddenly  order  them  to  move 
over  into  Arkansas  and  back  the  order  up  with  an  army? 
The  Indian's  case  is  parallel,  he  wants  to  know  why? 
Denied  the  reason  why  and  commanded  to  go  he  rights, 
just  the  same  as  any  other  race  of  people  would  do. 
Look  up  and  down  the  blood-red  pages  of  greed's  deal 
ings  with  the  American  Indian  and  ask  yourself,  will  not 
Almighty  God  visit  his  wrath  upon  the  white  man? 


AMONG  THE  INDIANS  IQQ 

PEN  PICTURE  OF  "UNCLE  JERRY"  HUBBARD 

Every  city  and  village  in  the  land  has  its  town  char 
acter — a  man  or  woman  who  stands  out  prominently 
from  the  inhabitants  thereof  with  characteristics  possess 
ed  by  no  one  but  themselves.  Miami,  Ottawa  county, 
Oklahoma,  the  capital  of  the  greatest  lead  and  zinc 
mines  the  world  has  ever  known,  is  no  exception  to  this 
rule.  Her  most  distinguished  citizen  is  Reverend  Jere 
miah  Hubbard,  and  his  office  is  that  of  the  Lord's  am 
bassador. 

At  Seattle,  Washington,  a  number  of  years  ago,  lived 
Princess  Angeline,  daughter  of  Chief  Seattle,  of  the  Si- 
wash  tribe  of  clam-digging  Indians  of  the  Puget  Sound 
country.  In  all  the  teeming  industry  and  commercialism 
of  that  great  city  Princess  Angeline  was  pointed  to  as 
the  one  whom  the  city  of  Seattle  esteemed  to  be  the 
greatest  and  most  picturesque  of  all  her  inhabitants. 
Princess  Angeline  had  the  freedom  of  the  city.  She  it 
was  who  could  go  into  any  home  with  the  privileges  of 
an  invited  guest,  or  into  any  store  or  shop  and  help  her 
self  to  whatever  might  appeal  to  her  fancy  or  desires, 
without  money  and  without  price.  The  city  saw  to  it 
that  her  wants  were  well  provided  for. 

So  it  is  with  our  ''Uncle  Jerry"  Hubbard.  No  home 
in  all  this  great  northeastern  section  of  Oklahoma  but 
has  a  welcome  on  the  door  mat  for  him.  His  wants  are 
well  provided  for.  For  forty  years  he  has  ministered  to 
the  spiritual  and  physical  needs  of  first,  the  aborigines, 
and  next,  the  white  settler  as  he  came  crowding  in  on 
the  heels  of  the  disappearing  red  man. 

It  would  be  a  hard  matter  for  a  person  to  read  the 


2OO  FORTY  YEARS 

pages  of  this  book  and  not  discover  in  its  simple  story 
of  a  life  that  gave  all  its  best  and  asked  nothing-  in  rer 
turn,  the  secret  of  its  strength  of  hold  upon  the  lives  and 
hearts  of  the  people  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact 
for  the  forty  long  years  herein  detailed. 

To  do  as  the  savage  did;  to  sleep  in  his  tents;  to  eat 
his  food;  endure  the  hardships  of  the  winter's  blasts  and 
the  summer's  drouths;  to  toil  night  and  day  in  an  effort 
to  bring  to  the  lives  of  an  unenlightened  race  the  light 
of  a  better  way,  of  a  sublime  hope;  the  turning  of  dark 
ness  into  day  for  benighted  minds,  and  do  it  all  so  cheer 
fully  day  by  day,  shows  a  strength  of  character  which 
can  not  but  excite  the  admiration,  and  be  an  inspiration 
to  every  person  who  may  have  the  good  fortune  to  read 
these  lines. 

And,  as  you  grasp  his  hand  and  look  into  his  eyes — 
steady  eyes,  sincere  eyes — you  ask  yourself  the  question, 
what  is  the  force,  the  inspiration  back  of  this  man? 
What  gives  him  this  power  to  win  the  hearts  of  children 
and  men?  Take  the  pains  to  turn  to  page  three  of  this 
book  and  there  read  your  answer,  for  besides  his  God, 
who  gives  him  grace,  is  the  wife — Mary  G.  Hubbard — 
the  sublime  queen  of  motherhood,  the  dauntless  inspira 
tion  of  manhood.  A.  H.  P, 


NOTE— On  the  page  in  this  book  which  speaks  of  John  Winney 
as  having  been  converted  at  twenty-five  years  of  age ;  should  read 
seventy-five  years  of  age. 


/c!/3 


